The Legend of Zelda: The Battle For Hyrule
by Hugo Reed
Summary: Link sealed away his memories along with Gannon eight years ago. Now he is a proud soldier in the army of Hyrule. What happens when he doesn't know what he's fighting for? What happens when he learns he is in love with a traitor? R&R. HR.
1. Chapter 1: The Legend is Link

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 1:

The Legend is Link

It was in the early hours of the morning when one of Hyrule castle's occupants awoke. Link, age twenty-five, looked out the window and saw the sun was just rising and then sighed. He was always the first one up. He walked over to his clothing that was neatly folded. He pulled on his undershirt and chain mail shirt. Then he put on some leggings with chain-link pants over them. He walked over to his protective grieves and started to put them on, then stopped and took them off. At this early hour all they would do was clank around and annoy him.

It was several years after the fall of Gannon and yet nobody remembered the time of the dark ages. Link had chosen to lock his memories away with Gannon and his followers inside the realm of time. He didn't remember a large seven or eight years of his life. He often wondered what he'd been doing then. He knew his blade was often referred to as the 'Master Sword' but was unsure why, save that it never seemed to dull nor could he break it if he tried.

Link walked quickly up to the roof while tying a green bandana to his head. He saw several men up on to of the roof crouched down, fighting off sleep. They were the night guard and had not slept at all yet. Link was due to take over someone's shift in about one hour. He went to the man and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Any motion?" he asked.

"Nothing." responded the man.

Link smiled and patted the man's shoulder steadily.

"Don't worry, I'm here this time, we'll be fine."

"Yeah," said the man jokingly. "Link, war god of Hyrule."

"War god enough to kick your ass around the ring."

The man shook his head softly but didn't respond.

"I'm going to eat then finish getting suited up. I'll come relieve you then."

"Thanks Link." he said.

Link smiled and climbed down on the ladder. Hyrule was in a time of civil war. Rebels had come up to try and overthrow the king to replace everyone's government. Link was slightly stunned that when it was like this it could be called war. The men usually didn't attack at night as it was to their disadvantage. However, once the sun was properly in the sky the battle would rage on again. He had been in this war right out of his training for about a two months. He didn't mind the war when it was like this.

It was kind of quiet. He went back to his room, passing two or three men. He got in his room and put on his leather, chain backed gloves. Then, he put on his chest-plate and armbands. He put on his shoulder armor and then belted on his armored belt. It protected the hips mostly. Then he put on his grieves and helm. The only things his actual chain mail blocked were his armpits, neck, upper arms and upper legs. Link belted the blade he'd been given to his right hip and put the shield on his right arm.

Lastly, he placed the small bag of war tools, like knives and smoke bombs, on his left hip and walked down to the stables. Epona was already suited and ready for war. Link hopped up on her and went trotting around the area to get them both warmed up. She was a skilled horse and a true one-of-a-kind animal. Link pulled back on the reins to stop her and then leaned forward and patted her on the neck lovingly. Link reached in his pouch and gave Epona a carrot from the garden, which she enjoyed a lot.

Then Link walked up to the roof in order to take over his shift of watching. The man thanked him and went down the ladder to pass out on his cot. Link smiled and looked over the vast lands. When the sun rose they were always wonderful no matter how many times he looked at them. He turned his attention to the enemy as an arrow whizzed past his head and he ducked down and gave a loud call. It was a yell so loud that the whole castle was up and clanking. Then, Link returned fire calling out again and again.

"ATTACK! ATTACK! EVERYONE TO YOUR STATIONS WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!"

Arrows came in huge waves to go right through the rebels and mow down their horses. Link ran down to where Epona waited and put his left foot in the stirrup before hoisting himself up. He adjusted his shield and a young boy handed him a lance. Link thanked him and charged right at the enemy. The sound of the thundering hooves echoed brilliantly inside his brain as he held his lance with a vice grip. The two sides collided with a hammering blow. Link's weapon ripped through two men while several weapons just bounced off his shield.

He felt a blow glance off his shoulder and turned to stab the man. Another person came up behind him and Link knew he'd never get the lance there in time. Link dropped the long pole and pulled out the Master Sword. He stabbed the man clear through to the other side and he fell off the horse screaming, blood gushing out of the wound. Link leapt off his horse and signaled her to go back to the stables with the others. Horsemen flashed on the left and right of Link as he cut them down.

Then, gigantic, pig-link animals came charging at him and he leapt on top of one, slaying it's fellows with his blade. Then, he stabbed the beast in the head. The animal fell down, instantly dead. Link sheathed the blade and ran back to the cover of the castle, letting arrows cover his retreat. When he got back to safety he turned to an aging man.

"How many did you see?"

"Several," said the man. "No more then fifty, no less then thirty. Either number is troublesome."

"Call for five good men to follow me," ordered Link.

"Five sir? Wouldn't you prefer more?"

"You'd do well to follow your orders."

The man left and returned quickly with five young men. All were strong and fast. They stood at full attention before Link. Link signaled for them to separate and move out. One followed Link while the other four went off on the other side of a large hill. Link caught their eyes and made a quick hand motion. They sprang up quickly and each had a kill before the targets knew what had happened. Then they stood in a solid formation. Using the empty area to their advantage.

The five kicked, stabbed and fought the enemy, and it wasn't overly taxing. Link himself had killed several and was only a little worn. He smashed another man clean off his feet with his hylian shield then stabbed him in the face. Then, another man swung at Link's exposed back, only to be stabbed by one of the boys. They worked as a good team, as all soldiers were trained to do. It was mostly very quick hit and run. You would run up stab two or three men, then leap back to get cover and nurse small wounds, then repeat.

Link gave one quick wave in a propeller motion and the men retreated into the dark forest of secrets. Link peered carefully around a tree and saw two men glancing around. They were actually looking for Link's men, but in the pitch black darkness of the forest there was no way that Link and his boys would be found. Link signaled the men to hold their ground and ran out against the men himself. The two reacted on instinct and ran right at him. Link raised his right hand and smirked.

"You two really want to die that badly?"

He threw his hand forward and arrows flew from the trees to bring the two men down. Link sighed and did a quick count of the men left. There were few remaining. While Link and his boys had been killing the men from behind, Hyrule had charged them from the front and ripped them apart. Link signaled for them to go back to the castle. That night, Link was hailed as a brilliant man with true leadership abilities. The promoted him to lead of the Special Forces.

Link was shocked. This position was reserved for some of the very best. Hyrule's army was large, but the Special Forces were a small group of forty men broken up into five groups of eight. The Special Forces were all fast, deadly, strong and willing to obey any order from their commander. The commander himself was supposed to be smart, and as good as any of his men. He had always wanted to be in the Special Forces, but had never thought he'd command his own group.

"Link," said Mugarti, his old drill sergeant. "Your group will be group E. They are a little new to their job, but with a firm hand they will do fine. They are mostly a stealth group, but have a good punch too. They mostly work on taking out big commanders or the important group of people that run everything. Good Luck, commander."

Link smiled at the word commander. It was a work the held power and ability. He walked over to a small tent that the older gentleman had indicated. It was small for eight men to sleep in, but that hardly surprised him. They were used to very cruel conditions. Link walked in with authority and opened the flap of the tent to peer inside. As soon as he did the soldiers all snapped to attention. Link walked up to each one of the men individually and asked them their names, ages and best abilities.

"Sir!" said the nearest man. "My name is Grehadel, #1 sir, I am 23 and my abilities lay heavily in explosions and distractions sir!"

Link nodded and pointed the next man in line, "You."

"Sir! I am #2, Marth of 19! My best ability is my speed."

Now they went on without being prompted.

"My name is Hunder, #3 sir! I am 21 and am best at quiet assassinations."

"I am called Bedurt, #4 sir! I am 23 as well. I am best scouting!"

"Sir, I am Yutan #5! I am 20 and best used in teamwork situations, sir!"

"Sir," said the next man in an oily voice, though respectfully. "I am #6, called Darwin. I work best in the shadows and the darkness of night for any job that needs to get done without them knowing I'm doing it. I also am very good at getting into places that I am not wanted."

"I have no real name sir," said one youth. "I am known just as #7 and I'm 17 I think. I am best teamwork as well."

"I am #8, Lars, sir. I'm 22 and best at flanking an opponent."

Link nodded, happy with the men.

"Well," Link spoke to them now. "I am Link, as you may know. I am 25 now, and I am equal in almost everything, although I'm probably tops in hand-to-hand combat. Very well men, that is all for the day, we will have our orders again around midnight, so rest up because I want no one trying to sleep on the journey there."

They all saluted him and leapt onto the cots. Link walked up to his own room and saw the small scroll lying on the floor. His first set of battle orders as a commander. He opened them and read, and then he quickly walked over to his desk and began to draw battle plans. He wrote hard and until the sun was setting over the hills. He knew he would regret it, but he couldn't stop. Finally as the sun disappeared, Link passed out on the bed. It wasn't even one hour before the messenger boy woke him.

Link groaned and got up. He didn't don his armor this time. He put on his green tunic without any undershirt, so as to let air circulate beneath his arms. Then he put on a set of black pants and tied the green bandana around his head then dashed down to his men's tent, belting on his blade and quiver. He smiled a little. He was nervous yes, but it was his first battle where he would control everything. It was a chance for commander Link to show his ability to the King of Hyrule.

As he reached the men, they were finishing getting dress and Hunder tossed him a long black cloak. Link caught it and thanked him, then slipped it on. He could've kicked himself. It was a night run mission, of course. Why hadn't he thought to bring his own black cloak? He dismissed the thought and grabbed Epona's reigns.

"Let's move, when he get within three hundred meters, dismount and use only hand signs. 1, 2, 5 and 7 are with me. 3, 4, 6 and 8 you loop around the other side of the outer wall we'll meet in the middle of the camp. From there, just follow my orders. Any questions? Good, move."


	2. Chapter 2: Foes and Memories

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 2: Foe's and Memories

Link and his men all rode hard and strong throughout the night. They all were dress in loose attire that didn't do anything to protect their sensitive skin against the highly chilling winds. Link kept looking ahead with a keen intensity, as though he was trying to spot a dropped rupee. Link was the one who more often then not started to drift asleep. However, every time he did Epona would rock hard to make him sit up tall for a little while longer. Eventually Link held up a hand in a split second.

Nine sets of legs halted cold making the dirt trail fly up to settle down hours later. Link pointed. In the musky darkness one could just make the out the outline of a small batch of tents and camps. They all dismounted and Link whispered to his men.

"Alright, time to split off. You all know the battle plan?"

They nodded at the same time.

"Good. Darwin, you take control of branch two and I'll join you after the main puncture. Remember, do this quick and get out is the objective, and no talking unless you really have to, and then only in whispers. Other then that, hand signs. Move!"

The men move on his order as though invisible strings had yanked them upon the word. Link leapt down with his team members and moved low to the ground. They had to constantly get down on their fronts to avoid being spotted by sentries. Finally, Link reached the watchtower that was his group's objective. He ran forward without a sound and then stopped holding five fingers up, then made a fist and put two fingers up. Seven ran to his side and crouched down.

"See that man?" Link whispered so quietly that he could barely hear himself.

Seven nodded.

"Shoot him down in exactly… thirty seconds. Make sure to hit the head."

Seven nodded again and strung his bow before nocking an arrow. Link smiled and threw his open hand forward for the signal to attack. The men obeyed instantly. The other three leapt off and Link ran forward while noting that he could help but be pleased with them. They worked as a flawless team. If one ever left a spot open in his charge. Another was there in a heartbeat. Then it struck him. They loved each other. Not in a gay homosexual way, but in the manner of a family.

He wondered lightly, if he would ever find his family. Did a soldier have a happy ending after all? He pushed the thought out of his head and focused. This was his job. He ran into the two and up the small set of wooden stairs. The creaking and slight stamping were the first noise he made. A man turned and Link stuck the blade through the man's neck. Then he heard an arrow whistle through the air and hit the other man in the neck. He slowly gargled to death.

Link sheathed his blade with a resigned expression and swung two fingers in a small circle to indicate that they needed to gather up. They quickly responded and were at his side with ten seconds. For Seven, it was impressive. Link pointed to four slight silhouettes waiting at the top of a wall. They all nodded and leapt down, running at Darwin's group with the ropes. When the reached the group everyone grabbed a rope and was hoisted up. Link had just been pulled up by Hunder before the group jumped at the largest tent that would, hopefully contain their commander.

It wasn't long before Link saw Darwin lean out the flap and motion that it was time to leave. Link smiled. It had been a simple job. In and out. He leapt down the wall and began to jog back to the horses. However, soon after he hit the ground, he had to raise the Master Sword to block another blade form taking out his left eye. He saw a girl standing there. She had long red hair that went down to her lower back. She dawned tough leather for armor and wielded a long, one-handed blade.

Link saw that his men were all drawing blades as well and held up a hand quickly.

"Go and get the horses, this one is mine. I won't let myself be shamed by losing to a female!"

"Your stupidity ensures my victory!" said the girl in a rich voice.

"Women are—"

"Just as smart as men, yeah, yeah." said Link.

He paused. He'd never heard that said before. Why had he interrupted as though he'd heard it over and over several times. For a second, the girl stared at him wide-eyed.

"Are you? Him? But he…"

"What do you mean? What nonsense to you speak woman?"

"My apologies," she said. "I mistook you for one whom I know to be long dead."

"Enough talk. From here on out we fight!"

Link ran at her and swung his sword at the same moment that the men took off for the animals that were waiting for them. Link felt the girl's smooth blade interact with his own and leapt back. She was far more skilled then she looked or let on. Link back flipped out of the way of any further damage, and shifted his foot style so that he left foot and hand were in front of the right ones. He stepped forward in small, fleeting steps and struck quickly, as a snake would. This was an older fencing style that was commonly used within the far more sophisticated countries.

Link didn't know where he'd picked it up. He had deduced that he had learned it within the seven to eight year gap in his memory. However, he never thought about how he'd found it anymore. He just thought about what good it could do him. It was best against other untrained sword fighters. Link struck out with the point of the blade again and the girl quickly thrust her blade flat to the right to off-put the blow. She left her opposite hip open and Link retracted his blade before driving it into the exposed flesh.

The girl yelled in pain and held it and Link felt and enormous upsurge of guilt. He shoved it aside.

_After all, _he thought. _Soldiers can't have happy endings. Not the soldiers like me anyway. Even if I were to have one, why would I and how could I have a relationship with this… traitor. Nevertheless, if the situation were any different I would swear I know her and put the question to her properly. However, now is not the time for such foolish things._

Link swung the blade in an upward motion and the girl smoothly dodged the blade. Link turned and smiled at her.

"Tell me, for you are one most skilled in thought and blade, what would be your name?" she asked.

"It is considered impolite to ask for another's name with giving your own first." said Link.

"Fine," said the girl. "I am Malon, daughter of Talon."

"I am Link, son of two who are either dead or far abroad."

Malon's eyes widened.

"L-Link?"

Link looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Oh, my heavens," she muttered. "No! No! No, this can't be right! It can't be you! You LIE!"

She ran at him and quickly struck out of him with tears streaming quickly from her eyes. Link saw that his name had greatly upset her. Yet, he knew not why. He dismissed it. For now anyway, the girl was a threat, and an enemy. People like here had no need for pity, not from him anyway. Malon's shoulders shook again and she gave a loud sob before softly calling out his name again.

"Link, why did you leave me?" she asked so softly he barely caught it.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" yelled Link angrily, having had quite enough of this.

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you are talking of woman. I have never met you before. Now hold your forked tongue!"

"You were once a man of honor!" she screamed at him. "How could you forget that!"

Link glowered at her before she muttered so softly that he could just catch it.

"How could you forget me, when I loved you and you said the same back to me?"

Link's eyes widened drastically. He fell to his knee and slowly flashes of things ran through his mind.

_Link was on a racetrack in Epona's saddle while a man with a thick and queer mustache was far behind trying desperately to catch up and stop him. Link crossed the finish line first by a mile and the man angrily slammed the gates before Link spurred the horse on to leap up and over the gate._

_He was riding Epona again up a steep amount of grass and then as the ramp-like entrance leveled out he jumped out of the saddle happily. He ran to the red-headed girl, Malon and hugged her in a tight embrace while she placed her gentle head in his chest._

Link's mind was in complete disarray. He clutched his head and screamed. Then, he looked to Malon and felt his stomach leap unpleasantly at her before he screamed yet again. Only this time, when he screamed, he screamed at her and the pain in her eyes was all too evident.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" demanded Link. "ARE YOU SOME WITCH OR SORCERER THAT YOU CAN PUT THIS VISIONS IN MY HEAD?"

She looked at him with tears and confusion.

"I don't know what you mean. I am doing nothing to you to hurt you. I want you to please, try and remember me."

"I can't stop doing that!" he screamed. "Why the devil are you in my head!? I have never met you before now!"

Just then Link felt other people helping to his feet. His team had arrived. They quickly subdued the distraught girl and tied her up before placing her in front of one of them on his horse. Link was help onto his horse and he nearly cried several times from the plain pain of wondering weather what he felt was real or not, and if it was he wondered if he should let what had happened in the past, happen again. He tossed off his tunic angrily and then threw on his chain mail armor and put his chain-link pants on before placing a fresh pair of pants and a fresh tunic over them.

He ran quickly, in his bare feet to the dungeons and knocked on the wooden counter to wake the guard up. He had been snoring and made a highly irritating snort when he awoke before blinking several times at Link. Finally, releasing whom Link was he stood up properly.

"I need the key to the cell of the girl that was brought here just a few minutes ago."

"Of course, sir." said the man.

He tossed a single silver key to Link and pointed down a pathway. Link ran down it in a hurry, his armor clinking a little along the way. While he sprinted to Malon, he saw the faces of the prisoners down there. They were think, dark and dying. Link felt a small tear leak out of his eyes before shaking his head and speaking to himself.

"They are all traitors, nothing more. Just traitors to Hyrule. It was my job to do this too them and they deserve it."

_Then why, _asked a small voice in the back of his head. _Why see Malon? If they are all traitors, is she not among them? She is just a clever witch and demon possessed. She put thoughts into your head to make you think you used to love her. You don't know her, except as a traitor. Wipe her out._

Link skidded to a halt and slammed the key into the lock while he thought back to the voice in the back of his mind.

_But I can not, because I did feel something back there._

He ran in and saw Malon laying there, sobbing into her hands. She was moaning his name, over and over again. He walked carefully up to her.

"Malon?"


	3. Chapter 3: Remember Something

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 3: Remember Something

Link's bare feet were cold on the stone ground as Malon turned to look at him. What Link was shocked at was the hate that he found in her eyes as opposed to the shock and slight love that had been there before. He walk and sat down next to her. She moved as far from him as she could.

"Malon, please tell me what you remember," he said.

His voice was soft, caring. It was so different from how he had spoken to her before. Neither she nor he knew just why he was speaking like that now. Link just knew that it felt right and Malon knew she preferred it over his screaming. So she answered him.

"A long time ago, eight years actually, you were… different. I supposed you don't remember anything do you?"

"Not from the time I was ten," he responded.

"I'll start from when I met you then…"

_Link ran up the step entrance to the ranch. He had no particular reason for going there other then the fact that he had not done so already. He walked onto the ranch and instantly a wonderful tune filled his ears. Someone was singing a wonderful melody. He walked up and saw the girl who had been making the noise and felt that he'd never seen someone so human and unearthly natural at the same time._

_Link wearily played a small set of notes on his Ocarina and Epona came before long and he got on her back before spurring her towards Lon Lon ranch. He was eager to see Malon again and kept rushing Epona. When he finally did reach the ranch he leapt off Epona and dashed to Malon. She stood waiting for him and kissed him lightly. Link was still wearing his blue tunic and hat. His body had several gashes and slices that weren't from the boss of the water temple._

"_What happened to you?" she asked._

"_Something that I hope I never have to deal with again."_

"Wait!" Link interrupted Malon. "I… I do remember something. The creature… did I ever describe it?"

Malon looked at him.

"Yes, though not to me really. You were once talking in your sleep."

_Late at night Malon was woken in a flash. She fell to the floor in a small amount of pain and looked at Link. He was thrashing on the bed. He wasn't just flailing though. He was calling softly into the night. He had a high fever and his eyes searched rapidly under tightly such lids._

"_The eyes! The dammed red eyes. Burning forever more, deep into my head! Why do you plague me? A shadow, a mirror of myself! Eyes that hold flames of hell themselves! His blade ripping my skin open, breaking into the bone! Burning into my head! Please leave me alone!"_

"That was, without a doubt," began Malon. "The scariest thing I had ever seen."

"I… remember it. I remember… _him…_ Dark Link…"

"Sorry?" asked Malon.

"The name I gave him. I remember fighting him. I remember it, so clearly."

_Link saw the far door lock and turned around, determined not to be taken by surprise. He removed the iron bottoms from his boots and drew the Master Sword. It gleamed brightly throughout the slightly dark room. A dark amount of some liquid resided deep within the pool. It was denser, blacker and radiated with far more evil energy then any other part of the room. He ran up to it hurriedly and tried to stab it. As his blade rushed to the pool, promising swift death, a black boot landed on the blade._

"_What the?"_

_A clone of him, dressed all in black flashed up. His eyes were as red as the very flames of hell and it greatly hurt someone to look into them. Nevertheless, honorable blue eyes met demonic red eyes. The shadow drew it's blade without even a whisper of a sound. Link felt his feet try and rush off, but the figure's cold glare alone held him in place. Link steeled himself and ran right at the doppelganger. The shadow blocked Link's strike and returned with it's own. Link barely got his shield up in time and it was sent flying off his arm._

_Link held the injured limb in his left hand and wearily shrugged the pain off. The shadow also dropped his black shield to the ground that was water. Link ran at him and the two blades crossed in mid-air again. Sparks flew from the collision and the two pushed with all their might. The irritating sound of metal on metal grated against both man and beast ears. Neither was willing to give up and both began to pump large reserve of magic within the power of the attacks._

_The difference was that Link was pumping the magic into his blade as opposed to his muscles, as Dark Link was doing. Link gave a small leap backward and spun the blade in a rapid circle. Link felt the energy fly from the tip of his blade in an angry circle. He saw the magic rip the creature's skin apart. The shadow hissed angrily and charged at Link. The two went into an intricate dance. When one figure would strike or attack, the other would block before returning with his own blow._

_Link leapt up and flipped, pointing the sword down. The shadow back flipped out of the way of the killing move and struck at Link with his pitch-black sword. Link quickly pulled his blade up and blocked the attack with it's flat. Dark Link gave ground by doing several back hand springs. Link rushed him, determined to keep the shadow up and up on it's toes. It blocked every one of his strikes with what seemed to be ease. Now, it was Link who back flipped to give ground and gain time._

_Link forced himself to think rationally. He charged up more magic and ran at the black cloud. Dark Link struggled to stop him but was far too late. Link slammed his open hand into the ground and a huge dome of fire flew from his center. The shadow was engulfed within the flames and an unearthly sound echoed rapidly throughout the room. Link held his hands over his ears which felt like they were bleeding. Link looked at the shadow and it stood wearily, burnt and bleeding._

_Without so much as a single discernable word, the dark figure tightly grasped his shoulders. Link cringed in pain and surprise. He tried to break the bad, powerful grip on his body, but failed drastically. He kept trying break the death grip that was digging it's way into his skin. Then suddenly, the grip on his right shoulder loosened and retracted. Link felt some pain but was so numb that he didn't know where it came from. He looked down at the left hand of his foe. It was holding the black blade that was stuck deep within his gut._

_He had been run all the way through to the other side, and hand run through his spine. He noticed it and crumpled. He felt the figure bend down and plunged his hand through the wound. Link yelled in pain, pain from the scratch and shattered bone._

"_You blood will make me a part of you!"_

_Link yelled as he felt as though each of his limbs were being pulled from his body and all his bones seemed to be pulled apart. Link screamed louder as he felt something strange. It seemed that his very soul was being changed. He was in such pain in his brain that he could stand it and blacked out._

"He… I remember him… I feel him. He is in my head. We are two halves of the same hole."

She stared at him with the attention to hear a whispered word. He could read her face with an absurd amount of ease. He could see that now it was he who was giving her information, not the other way around. He kneeled down and held her cheek almost tenderly, trying to remember. Yet again, images flooded through his head. Acting upon his instinct, he leaned forward, parting his lips slightly. Malon leaned forward as well, desperate for a touch of the way things used to be.

Link brushed his lips against her's lightly. Then, in surprise he leapt back, his heart racing. Her eyes filled with tears and he began to feel the salty drops drip down his own face. He kneeled down next to her and placed a gentle hand under her chin. Very gently he lifted her head up.

"I don't know… if what I feel is real, or ever was. I don't know what to think. I am a high-ranking officer within the army of Hyrule and we consider you to be a traitor. I can promise you that I will free you, whatever It takes. For whatever reason that it be true, I love you."

"And I you, as I always have."

Link leaned forward and lightly kissed her forehead, feeling a little scared that she would hit him or something. She giggled a little and he raised an eyebrow at her. She stopped when she could and then explained herself in a light tone that he liked.

"You always used to do that when you met up with me again."

"Please," said Link. "Tell me what happened to me. Tell me what… Zelda is… also if the Hero of Time means anything to you. Tell me everything about my past."

For next hour Malon explained about his past. She told him all she could about the individual dungeons that he had gone through. He felt slightly stunned. He was some great hero. He was some wonderful hero that had saved the world from destruction by an evil wizard. He was sitting as though he were an eager child and was examine the hero of the stories as though he was not himself. Finally after Malon had finished explaining his defeat of Gannon, she moved on to their relationship.

Then a guard came to the cell and said, "Sir, got orders for you."

Link took the scroll, being slightly annoyed. He unrolled it and read quickly.

_To Link, knight of Hyrule._

_Transfer order:_

_Removed from command of squad E_

_Pretense: Fraternizing with the enemy._

_Reassigned to: Basic training._

Link was in shock. They were reassigning him? To basic training no less. All on the fact that he was with Malon, the woman he loved? They system must be breaking if such stupidity as this was beginning to take place. Link told Malon he would return shortly and ran back up to his quarters. The threw on his loyal green tunic and a set of white breeches over the chain mail. Then he put on his leather boots and ran back to the dungeon belting on the Master Sword.

The keeper of the keys threw Link a suspicious glance as he reproached, sword in hand.

"What are you doing—"

Link quickly caught the man in the neck with his blade. Then, he went right and left, unlocking doors, slowly working his way back. Finally he reached Malon's cell and unlocked it to fling the door wide open. She ran to him and embraced him softly.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Freeing you, and everyone else here."

"You're throwing away your future to do this for us."

"I am not doing this for all of them. Just for you."

"How can you," she asked. "If you do not remember why you love me."

"I can," he responded. "Because I am beginning to remember. Even if I were not, the fact that I do love you is more then enough."

She smiled and kissed him lightly. Then, they went to work on the other doors, releasing everyone and anyone who'd been chained up there. Finally, when they had unlocked all doors, Link and Malon ran together to the stables. Both got upon Epona's back and Link lightly kicked the horses side and she was off. The two were heading off into a whole new world. Into a whole new future. They didn't mind that much.


	4. Chapter 4: Two Years Later

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 4: Two Years Later

It had been two very long years from the time Link had freed all the prisoners. He was now twenty-seven and Malon was twenty-five. He had spent most of those two years trying to remember everything in his life. For the most part, he had succeeded. His sword skills were at their earlier glory. He was quick, smart and strong in both body and magic. Not only that, but he could remember everything. He knew hundreds of military tactics. He was a beast upon the battlefield.

He was most importantly, the Hero of Time yet again. He had been training hard for the entire two years he had been gone. Now he knew everything he could've needed to know and he spent most of his time slipping into the towns to destroy monsters that had been showing up there. He wore a long black coat that covered his clothing well. It also had a long hood that would conceal his face. As he was putting the overcoat on yet again Malon came up to him. He turned to face her quickly and she smiled before hugging him tightly.

"Be safe," she whispered. "For me."

He kissed her brow, and responded. "Always for you."

He ran down the small set of stairs that lead to the barn. He went to Epona and stroked her mane lovingly.

"You ready to go for another set girl?"

She snorted softly and he laughed. He stuck his foot in the left stirrup and hoisted himself up. He got a little more comfortable in the saddle and then readjusted the blade upon his back. He raised his feet higher in the air and then kicked her sides softly. She leapt off and cantered off into the night. Link meanwhile kept squinting ahead. He felt as though the darkness of night was no barrier or obstacle for him. Soon enough, he saw the village that was rumored to be plagued by redeads.

It wasn't as though it was hard to see once one got out of the forest. The large chapel that was the center of the village was aflame. He looked down upon the site with small amount of tears in his eyes. The villagers were all cut and dead or dying. He steeled himself and spurred the horse onward. He came galloping into town and slashed left and right to behead redeads. Their bodies seemed to made up of bones that were covered with a lot of brown oozy substance, not unlike dung. The smell was just as bad.

Their eyes and mouth were nothing more then gaping holes in the excuse for a face they had. Redead were actually bodies that had been revived to do an evil wizard's bidding. It sometimes took three men to kill just one. One of the beasts leapt at him and Link spun the blade about in his hand to chop the beast away from him.

He flipped off Epona proudly and slammed his fist into the ground and a waving ring of flames flung around him and his horse to kiss and kill several of the monsters. He bid the horse away and pulled the Hylian shield off his back. Link allowed the hood to fall off his head, and one beast looked at him and his harsh mouth made an imitation of speech.

"Oh great Hero of Time," it gasped. "My master honors your deeds and begs you to end this ancient quest you are taking up yet again. He assures you will be well rewarded."

"Never, and your master can eat bird dung for all I care."

The creature seemed to consider him, then came towards him. The true power of Redeads lay neither in their strength or speed, but in the fact that when they walk towards someone, he or she was frozen to the spot with fear and could do nothing but be beaten. Not for nothing though was Link called the hero with no fear. Not for nothing was he the barer of the triforce of courage. He stood calmly as six of the beasts moved to mull him. He took a quick count. Three on the left, one in back and two to the right. Link rolled forward and then turned with perfect timing, cutting out behind him.

He chopped the monster's legs out from beneath him. It crumpled and disappeared. Link ran the next beast through despite the fact that it had tried to choke him. He back flipped and was caught by surprise by another redead. It began to suck the blood out of his neck. Link stabbed out behind him and caught the creature in the neck. It gasped and vanished alongside it's fellows. Then Link ran right at the four remaining foes and used the power of Din's fire again to send them away from the sheer heat alone. Link sneered and pulled his sword and shield into a readier grip.

"Now," he said. "Now the slaughter begins."

He jumped up onto the nearby ledge and chopped off another redead's head. It fell to the ground a few seconds before the body. Link turned and cut another open along the spine. The blood came out of the wound and covered his arm in the warm gush of blood. Link could feel the red flood overtake his left arm. It turned the white shirt to a light red and stained his tunic and overcoat. He ripped the arm out angrily and kicked the remains away. He ran through the town, often stopping to fight two or three of the beasts.

Link jumped up in the air as a small little girl was frozen in a corner, unable to move. He reached into his magical pouch and pulled out a bow and arrow. He nocked an arrow and shot with a deadly accuracy. Link ran with all the power in his legs to protect the girl. She had a look of intense fear and distress upon her face. Link leaned down to try and comfort her, but could do nothing to make her move. She would be no help for a little while. Link put his hood back and felt a few more enemies come up.

He plunged the shield into the ground in front of the child and turned, Master Sword in hand. The redeads looked at him for a moment, then attacked. Link repeatedly blocked blow after blow. His blade moved as though of it's own accord. It was a blur that promised death. He slashed quickly left and right to fell the monsters in haste. He was gifted with the grace and talent of a god. Several of the redeads crumpled beneath his neat strokes. The girl hid behind the shield.

Eventually Link had killed many, and was tired. He was only one man, and had his limits, however oddly high they may be. He could not kill an entire army. He was not invincible. He noticed how heavy the blade was becoming. It was lead or steel that he had not the power to lift and defend himself with. He let exhausted limbs fall to his side and slowly began to fend off strikes, with magic as often as blade. Link was cut deep and hard by several of the blades and was bleeding all over from the monsters' strange attacks.

The numbers were too great. Link wearily cut another down and one launched out an arm at him. It hit him full in the gut and Link fell to his knees, doubling over. He could hear the poor girl behind him give a wet sob. He thought that he was fighting to save her and he found the power to make his leaden arms move.

"Grab my shirt," he told the girl.

So obeyed without question. Link threw his hands up and vanished and a whirl of green leafs. When his weary face hit the ground he felt such a powerful urge to lay there that he just gave up. For a long while, he did nothing but sit there with the girl on his back. Finally, he knew that he had to move, and stay alive. He put and ocarina to his lips wearily and blew into it a few times, and Epona came running. She lay in the grass next to her master and Link addressed the little girl.

"Is anyone else in your village alive?"

She shook her head no. Link sighed and forced his extremely worn right arm and leg over the horse. Then he forced himself up onto her and pulled the girl up. Epona dashed off home with her rider and passenger atop her. Link fell in and out of another world. At times his vision was crystal clear and he had no trouble seeing the path ahead. Yet, at other times, it was as though the sun itself had decided to turn black and he could not even see the girl sitting practically in his lap.

Their trip back was not plagued by any more beasts though it was unpleasant. Link himself was in a bad way and the girl couldn't be comfortable. He knew that he was probably dripping blood into her hair or down her back. He was thankful the ranch wasn't far off. As Epona came to a halt outside the stables, Link let himself fall off. It hurt him, though only just. He called out to Malon and she ran to him.

"Link! Oh heavens! Link can you hear me!?"

Link just point to the girl and Malon helped her down off Epona. Then, Link allowed Malon to help to the potions cabinet. He next a few herbs and plants together within some water and it turned to a deep red. He drank it quickly and could feel it sealing up his wounds. Malon came in, having just put Epona in the stable. She moved to clean up the girl while attacking Link.

"You should've brought some with you! I told you be careful and what do you do? You go and damn near get killed. Do I mean so little to you?"

"Malon," he said. "You mean everything to me. I knew I wasn't going to die there. I was in control. I am more then alive. I got away and put a large dent in the main force, why are you so upset? I do not understand. If you want me not to do—"

"You do too know! I sit here helpless while you come back half-dead."

"I have been blessed by the gods," he said. "We must trust their judgment. They picked me as the Hero of Time for a reason. It was not to enjoy earthly pleasures."

That much was true in the fact that Link had very little things that were not practical. He shared a room with Malon and in there alone he used the bed, dresser and mirror. Aside form him weapons, he owned Epona, a few sets of clothes and the Ocarina of Time. He walked to her and embraced her lightly.

"I will be fine my love. I shall refresh myself and then I will return to help you."

He walked upstairs and then tore his tunic off. He removed the belt and pants and boots he wore. Then he went and changed into a set of black pants and a sleeveless, green tunic. He replaced the boots and washed his face in a water barrel then put on his favorite green cap and walked calmly back downstairs. He saw Malon sitting talking to the girl, who would not respond. When Link finally did reach them, the girl grabbed his right leg hard and refused to let go.

"I can't get a single word out of her. She's scared senseless. See what you can do, I must attend to the farm."

Link sat down in a chair and the girl sat on his lap, clutching his shirt. He rubbed her back soothingly up and down in a pattern. Finally she looked at him and he addressed her in a kind, quiet voice.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Natallia," she said. "My name is Natallia."


	5. Chapter 5: The Demon Within

The Battle For Hyrule:

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 5: The Demon Within

Over a few months, Natallia became a part of the group of people Link had rescued from attacked towns. It wasn't much, but they were around two hundred. Link was now a skill warrior. He possessed a speed and flare of passion within his swordplay that was impossible to imitate. He was gifted with a natural fighting ability that would surpass any, given enough training. Not to mention that he was the owner of the triforce of courage and had a steely determination not to give up. He was close to a war god.

Yet, for every inch of power he possessed, so too was there another who gained the power. For every inch of good he had in him, so too was there and edge of evil within his soul. Link may have been an excellent fighter, but he was not an army. He did have his limits, god-like as they may be. Once, he was been protecting villagers from certain death by Redead or magician. He was cut in places, and had been fighting for the better part of a full hour. His arms and legs were lead. He had stripped himself of his shield and supplies.

_He was weary and nearly out of magic ability. Yet again, he struck down a foe. The sun was nearly set, and then he would be alone with the Redead in the darkness. He lifted his blade and brought it down upon the creature's head. He felt a long and thick blade rip through cloth and skin. Blood rushed down the metal of the Redead's blade. Link moaned and held his side as another attack came rushing right at his face. He could do nothing to block it. He was helpless._

_Yet, he was not alone. Hero of time he may be, yet another force, one perhaps even more powerful, lived within him. To all outside spectators a demonic transformation was taking place upon the village turned battlefield. Link's pupils disappeared all together so his entire eye was just a pure, almost holy, white. His blonde hair flew up and off his forehead as though it was being blown from a strong wind. All the while, within his head a fierce battle was about to be underway._

"_Ah," said a man, not quite human or shadow. "Great hero of time, so good of you to come."_

_The figure bowed down before Link. Link did not even begin to return the gesture._

"_Dark Link…"_

"_Please," said the shadow. "Why on earth do you believe I should share your name? Am I not my own person? Do I not have my own name?"_

"_A clone has no right to consider itself worthy of the original."_

"_Maybe, yet I am far more powerful then you, my hero."_

_The shadow moved in the blink of an eye. Sudden Link spun and sparks flew as metal clashed against metal._

"_Just in case you were wondering, which I do doubt, my name is Raiaka."_

_Link shoved him off._

"_A dead man's name has no further meaning for him."_

"_Meaning you intend to kill me?"_

"_Meaning that a beast whom was once a man, as you are must've died an age and a half ago."_

_Raiaka vanished again and again the blades crossed in the thick, foggy air. Link backed off, holding his stinging arm. Then he pressed the attack, using all his skill and magic to increase his speed and power. Raiaka was forced to give ground and go on being purely defensive. The battle was fierce and raged on for more then half-an-hour. Both contestants were filled with hate and rage for the other. Link kicked out high, though his movement was slow. He was tired, worn and exhausted._

_Sweat beaded and ran down Link's forehead as he felt the blow he'd received to his head mingle and mix with the sweat. It itched and bothered him, yet he couldn't scratch it. Dark Link moved with what strength he'd had left and caught Link in the ear. Link fell down screaming. Then he felt Raiaka place his hands upon his back._

"_Prepare to be lose everything…"_

_Link didn't remember what happened after that for a while. He had learned however, that when dark Link took over his body, he gained markings upon his face and his pupils disappeared completely. Then he was a beast of battle and a monster of war. His movements were perfect, utterly useful. Not a single inch of a swing was unneeded. The blade he had been wielding had been dropped and a large black, hand-and-a-half blade had appeared in it's place._

_The beast that was once the hero of time had movements far too fast for the normal human eye. Bodies fell in heaps and rapidly multiplying pieces. No one stood a chance of escape. When the creature was finally finished, it stood alone in the middle of a large, ever-burning crater._

Link would never be aloud to forget or forgive that experience. He would be forever cursed with visions of people, friend and foe alike, falling before his flashing blade. Thinking on this now, Link drew the Master Sword and studied it. It glowed with the bright intensity of one hundred stars, as it did for only him. Link thought back to the blade that Raiaka had used. It had been pure black, and reminded one of a never-ending hole.

Sometimes, late at night, Link would be woken for a terrible dream and it was the same one all the time. He would fight dark Link in his mind, and every time, no matter what he did, he lost. The shadow was far faster, stronger and smarter then he.

Link wearily rubbed his hands across his face. He needed to get away. What better was there for a war god to forget himself then in war itself? The problem was, war god or not, Link couldn't kill an entire army. It was time to do a bit of scouting. He got up wearily and leapt onto Epona's back, ridding off into the sunset.

When he reached a landmark of a tree that stood on it's own in an open field. Finally, as the completely disappeared behind the hills, Link built a fire and lay to sleep. For a while he lay down, his rest peaceful and relaxing. The owl fluttered and landed at a nearby tree and studied Link for a short time. Then, it flew at Link, dropping a note in his lap.

_Link,_

_The Koriki are being put under attack by midnight tonight. We beg you for your help!_

_Midio of the Great Koriki woods._

Link sighed. Midio was the self-proclaimed leader of the forest, so what help did they possibly need? Link looked at the owl and spoke to it.

"But why? I was sleeping so well, and without any fighting or death and pain."

Link untied Epona from the tree and saddled his young horse up. Link placed his left foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up, seized the reins and rode off in to the cool night. Link rode at a high pace to and through the forest he had grown up in and knew so well. Everything was still the same as it had been when he had been growing up. He smooth guided Epona through the trees and small pathways, heading for a clearing.

Then Link could clearly see the wonderful Deku sprout of the forest.

"Ah Link…" said the sprout. "You've come at last. I've sensed a new evil growing in the deaths of the land of Hyrule. However, this is not Gannondorf, he was vanquished. This Evil is from--"

Suddenly a flame came from nowhere. The fire was so bright that it lit the entire wood up and the eyes of the sprout seemed to shine as the flame headed for it. Link ran at it as it smoothly dodged tree after tree, yet it passed right through him. The fire burned the Deku sprout down as it struggled to tell Link something, but the message was unclear and whatever it meant to say was lost.

"You've outlived your use Deku tree," said the new figure.

Link started swinging his sword but whomever it was vanished in a flash of darkness, and Link sank to the ground trying to remain calm. When, at last, he had got a grip on himself, he considered the situation. Without the Deku sprout Koriki forest would fall in to chaos. He would have to find another protector to take its place, or move the children somewhere safe before he did anything else.

So as fast as he could, he dashed to Epona calling as he went "The Deku tree has been burnt down run now get out of the forest!"

Luckily, everyone trusted Link enough to flee. Arrows came out of nowhere, fleeing the strings of the bow such as demons fleeing a holy man might move. Two fleeing children fell in a dark, red pool of blood. Link shot down an archer as he rode out. All of a sudden, just as Link was moving to cross the Hyrule borders a stray arrow hit Epona. Her head went down first, and as her body fell Link flew off her.

"No! Epona!" Link yelled.

Epona had been with Link through countless adventures. She had even tried to get into Gannon's castle to help him, and now she was simply gone. He could call her until his voice was gone, but she would never come. Link wept and looked at the dirt that had gathered on Epona's side and in her flaring nostrils. Even in death, she refused to give up.

"Epona," he moaned.

Link stared into her face, she had given her life to save his. He would have his revenge. Link wanted to get up and find the leader of these monsters, and pull his guts out, then cut of his head and feed his body to a wolf. He couldn't though, not yet. He wouldn't leave Epona's body to these monsters. He knew that if he threw her body into the river it would float down to the towns. Hopefully they would find her body.

He dragged Epona's body to the Hylian River, feeling her ruff fur sliding through his hands, and tried to hide. It was no good as sword wielding Redead came he was spotted. Then, from the black depths of night, a horse jumped over him and it's rider struck down a Redead after Link. Arrows hit several others then two more riders came and drew swords, causing the Redead to flee. A rider slowly approached Link.

"We recognize you, Hero of Time. We are the remaining people loyal to Hyrule known as the Hylian Riders and we need another rider for our cause. Will you join us and serve justice again?"

Link looked at the rider, and could detect no sense of lying in the man's face. His intuition rarely failed.

"Fine, it will be an honor to fight amongst true Hylians once more. But my horse was killed, so I may not be able to ride with you."

Another Rider rode up, atop a stead as proud and black as night.

"You needn't worry about that we shall give her a proper burial."

"That voice… I recognize it. Zelda is that you?"

The rider threw down her hood and a face that Link knew well was before him again.

"Yes Link, I joined the Hylian Riders when my castle was over-run we think Gannon is back."

Link replied quickly, "No it can't be Gannon the Deku tree said he had left."

"Strange, then this evil is new. It was a fear we tried to shove aside. Now, Terra have him suited!"

Another female Rider came and cast his old cloak off, throwing on a new one and handed him new chain-mail armor.

"Thank you, these are heavenly gifts. Still, there is still no way I'll keep up with you guys on foot and still be ready to fight."

"Do not worry yourself hero." said Zelda.

They brought out a white horse. She was brilliant and shone with her own inner beauty. She was a horse any man would kill to ride.

"We said we needed an extra Rider. Her name is Snowfire."

Link mounted Snowfire and rode around a bit.

"Again, such a kingly animal, and you offer it to me?"

"Yes."

Then, he got down and helped Zelda dig a grave for Epona. After they buried her Zelda put a magic spell on the grave so no enemy would disturb her, and Link scratched an inscription to Epona. Soon after he saddled up Snowfire and followed the pack, glancing back at the grave.

"Zelda, I need a place for the Koriki children to stay."

Zelda nodded.

"Terra go tell them to head for the forest temple, and take someone else with you for a guard."

"Where are we going?" asked Link.

"To stop the enemy before they give news of our location away!" replied their leader, a man in a brilliant white cape, whom Zelda called Mikio.

Link soon caught sight of the Redead, not a bowshot away.

"There!" he cried.


	6. Chapter 6: Fight For It

The Battle For Hyrule:

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 6: Fight For It

The group charged. Link saw Zelda get into a fight with an archer. He was fighting two Redead at once. He saw someone appear and kill an archer aiming at Mikio. Link chopped off one Redead head and stabbed the other through the chest. He whipped out his bow and shot a Redead about to slice Zelda. A goblin slammed him off Snowfire, yet that saved his life, as an arrow flew just over Snowfire and missed his hair by a finger's width.

Link found an archer aiming at Zelda. He ran to her and knocked her out of her saddle and the arrow hit Link, but it wasn't deep so it didn't hurt much at first. Then it started to dig deeper, working it's way through the flesh and muscle. Link plucked out the arrow and Snowfire came over. Snowfire lay down and Link climbed on her back. Arrows almost hit Snowfire but she didn't panic. Link saw a horse fall and knew that it had been Zelda's. Link rode over to her.

"Zelda, hop on." he said.

Link shot an archer and stabbed a Redead then rode off with the pack. Eventually the group stepped into a cave. It hadn't been a pleasant ride. It was raining hard and wasn't easy to move. The cave was dark, damp, moist and none too inviting.

"Ok quick in," Mikio whispered.

Link wanted to stop and ask questions. However he was quickly shoved inside.

Once inside Mikio said, "Today we failed. Our enemy will learn of us."

Zelda stood up.

"There was nothing we could've done. We've never faced so many foes at once."

"Your right," said Link. "There was nothing we could have done but there is one thing we could do now."

"What can we do now? Link it's--"

"We can attack him. Meet him head on!"

"Link you are completely mad! Have we no other options?"

"No, wait I'm not saying that we purposelessly kill ourselves. We find the Gerudos and get them to fight for us."

"Link," said Zelda. "You know perfectly well those wild women listen to no human without reason. They won't let you just ride in and speak your mind about what they should do. They will kill you the moment you set foot within their walls."

Link sighed.

"I know that I got captured by them nearly seven times, but I know there is a way to gain their trust."

In twenty minutes Link was ready to go. He gave a short whistle to Snowfire, hopped on her and rode off. He drove her hard all through the night, stopping for nothing, least of all sleep. He didn't let himself sleep or stop to warm himself. Once he stopped to let the horse drink and eat. Other then that he drove them both at a great pace.

The next morning Link's keen sight found a broken down bridge.

_Now, _thought Link. _Now I have a problem._

Link had always just barely nudged Epona behind the front legs, but Snowfire wasn't the same.

"Um… Ok we have to find a way to… well, jump over the bridge."

As if Snowfire understood him she ran up and leapt over the bridge remains, safely landing on the other side. Link rode until he found a small post. He beamed brightly, and tied Snowfire to the post. It was a fine animal indeed.

"Just stay here, girl."

Link moved forward and caught sight of a shadow. For a second, Link just figured he had imagined it, but Link never saw shadows that didn't exist. Then, all of a sudden a sword came within a half-inch of his face without one more thought Link rolled to the side and pulled out his sword.

He saw a shadow of a man holding a dagger. Knowing perfectly well what to do Link pulled out a bomb and threw it at the figure. They jumped up at the moment the bomb hit the sand at it's feet, spraying the grains everywhere. Link had to position himself just right.

"Three… Two… One… Now!"

Link turned, pulling out his bow, then nocked an arrow, pulled back with a quick speed and fired. The figure was hit in the small of the back. He walked up to them, an aura of power in his walk. The he pulled out his blade and pointed it at the shadow.

"You'd do well to lead me to your master now if you don't want an extremely painful death."

The figure looked up and laughed terribly, then disappeared. Link found himself alone with Snowfire in the desert.

"What happened? Was that an illusion?"

No matter, he'd find it out later. He mounted Snowfire and sighed.

"Ok girl we got to find their tribe master. Let me see… sand, sand, and more sand. What way seems best to you?"

Link hadn't really been asking a question, but Snowfire seemed to consider something for a little while and suddenly dashed off into a direction that looked just the same as everywhere else. Only after a straight hour of riding did Link see the small fires popping up against the pale sunrise.

After some amount of time or other, Link and Snowfire came upon a hidden Gerudo valley. Snowfire charged down the hill, right at the guards. She was the perfect example of pure, happy, power. Perhaps it was the shock of them doing something so incredibly stupid, but the guard didn't raise her spear in time. Link pulled out his sword and cut the first guard across the chest shot down the other one as he rode into the village, his mind set on his task.

He pulled on the reigns, and felt them dig into his leather gloves. He hopped off Snowfire looking around around, while just felt the grains of sand fly into his eyes. The moment he rounded a corner, he was knocked out. He woke in a cell. Sunlight was streaming through the window. Also, they were covered with burning metal bars.

_How many times do they throw people in here? And why are all cells the same? _Link thought.

It wasn't a big deal though, as Link had gotten out far too many times to be stuck here. He casually took his hookshot out, and aimed for the window frame. He pulled the trigger and the hook stuck to the wood framing of the window, and sent him flying toward the bars. Link turned and adjusted his body in mid-air, so his foot pointed toward the iron bars and kicked them open, accessing his magic power to complete the move. As expected it hurt Link's foot, a lot.

_Note to self: Next time wear iron boots. _

Link looked around a guard was running at full force toward him. That didn't usually happen, but Link was trained well enough in hand-to-hand combat to knock the fool out. He reached up and blocked her two strikes then kicked her in the face.

Link walked over nonchalantly and opened a hidden trap door. Then, he walked down into a cellar where he found his weapons. It didn't take him long to go and belt on his weapons and gear. He came up out of the cellar and looked around and saw Snowfire. The horse had expertly hidden in a corner. It was no lie, she was a brilliant animal. Link hopped on her and rode up unto a pillar. He threw a bomb into the air it exploded and all looked at him.

"Hear me now," Link cried out. "Your King, Gannondorf has been defeated he will never rise again. I am now your king!"

"Fool," One woman called. "We obey only ourselves."

Acting as though the girl were invisible, Link said, "By your own law I now have right to control you all, that is, until my life debt is repaid by your group."

It was a bluff and Link doubted it would work but it was all he could think of and Gerudos might just fall for it. Indeed most looked convinced that Link story was true. He hopped off Snowfire and walked next to the group of people, taller then every woman there.

"What if we say no?" some Gerudos asked.

Link said quickly, "Then I shall curse this land so that you will all be brought to death here and you can not escape it."

Most of them ran to join Link while the more stubborn stayed behind. Link looked at them one more time, he looked them straight in the eyes. Most showed slight fear or hate. He showed them leadership and promise. Then he turned upon his heel and walked to Snowfire, cloak flapping in the wind.

"On your own head be it," said Link.

He had not been completely lying when he said that they would die if they stayed, for Link knew many leagues of Redead would soon come to claim the area. So, the rest of the pack rode off. Link hopped onto Snowfire and rode off.

One rider rode up to him soon, already good to go. Gerudos had always been ready to move at the drop of a hat apparently.

"How shall we pay our debt, master?"

_That's a lot of respect for a guy who just rode in and said join me,_ he thought. _I guess they are just used to severity._

"Just help me with the current war for Hyrule, and I'll set you free."

Within two hours, and the setting of the red sun, they had reached the cave. They had had to take detours to dodge around large groups of enemies, human and Redead alike, costing them much time, all of which was precious. Link gestured for them to follow him inside. Link smiled happily as he walked in, and Zelda had said he couldn't do it. His happiness quickly vanished replaced by fear and despair. The air was cold. It was far too cold for anyone to be inside.

The cave was empty, not a man was left.

"Where is the rest of your group?" asked a townsman man from Lon Lon Ranch, Xilic.

Link had grown to like him and ordered him to follow them if he should get involved with anything like this. Xilic was placed as the second in command of the group that resided at Lon Lon Ranch, with Malon and Natallia.

"I don't know… Their gear is still here, but none are here now," said Link.

"If you wish to find your friends," an old woman approached Link and whispered in a voice worse then death. "The only being who can tell you is the thousand-eyed genie. He has unspeakable powers which are only known to the Gerudo thieves of the wild western desert."

After hearing from the wise old woman Link made plans to head out to Death Mountain at dawn. The Hylian Riders, or the pitiful reformation of Gerudos and town survivors now, had arranged a meeting to discuss the dangers of Death Mountain.

"Did anybody see Mikio? He is to clever to be captured."

"Is he any good at fighting?" asked a Gerudo, throwing a body down at Link's feet.

Link had seen death before but never on a leader such as Mikio. Link hadn't ever gotten the chance to get to know the man well. Yet, he had seen him fight and direct others, and knew he was a good and strong leader.

He kneeled when tears came, forced himself to look up, and asked, "Are there any others?"

The woman merely shook her head in reply. Link sat silently considering the most likely outcomes. It was very likely that Zelda and the others had fled the cave. Not even the rejects of riders would submit to pain and failure. Link figured they had been taken alive if they had failed escape.

_Another rescue mission,_ Link thought.

He then told all available fighters to get in groups of three each, then explore the area. Forty Gerudos gathered together. Link saw one woman left with no partner. He walked up to her, cloak billowing like a banner.

"Come with me," Link told her.

She nodded in reply. All then hopped up a horse and rode to the entrance of the cave. The crowd of multicolored steeds reminded Link of the brown and white chickens upon Malon's farm. Link explained how each group was to search the grounds. Then he gave a call and all the horse riders left. Those who could not fight and had nearly passed out riding there, were staying behind. They weren't happy about it, but didn't leave the cave.

_40 soldiers,_ he thought. _Not much against that many Redeads, but certainly something._

Then he mounted Snowfire and rode off into the night, the Gerudo woman was staying close behind Link. Apparently she feared darkness more than any Redead. Soon, she started muttering what sounded like spells or a chant. Perhaps she feared ghosts? Whatever is was, it wasn't important right now; all that mattered was finding the location of the others. Link figured the best place to start looking was at Death Mountain, not that there was any real reason he thought they might be there, but odd things often happened around there.

When they finally reached the place, the woman spoke to Link at last, "Let me go on first, in search of your group. My life can be put at risk though yours can't."

What did she expect for him to say? Sure go on in?

Link walked forward and said, "Yeah that was a nice speech and all, but I'm coming as well. You'll die if you go in alone and I'll take all the help I can get."

He started walking then added, "And don't kill any thing that moves unless I say so."

She just nodded then didn't speak.

The mountain was as gloomy as it had been when Gannondorf was _King. _As Link's group hiked up the long mountain path, he began to notice the oddly shaped skeletons. They were abnormal large, and the legs were bent in extremely queer formations. At long last, they had reached the entrance to Death Mountain. However, it was sealed with a large stone slab with the symbol of the royal family. One triangle atop two others, formed a larger triangle.

The Gerudo began to complain because she thought they had ventured up the mountain for nothing, but Link sat in thought.

_The triforce, its a symbol of the royal family. _

So, Link whistled an ancient tune and the enormous rock split in two. Link grinned because the trick always worked. To split such rocks you had to play a tune called _The Song of Time_. Link walked forward carefully. He had been in this Goron city before, but it was usually full of life and music, and Gorons happily rolling along the several levels. Now it was as deserted as a ruin city, Link slowly turned around and frowned.

_This isn't right. Can't be. Gorons wouldn't leave unless under threat Like with that old Drag-- Oh the gods help me!_

Link turned and said, "There's a new dragon here."

The woman looked confused. Well, she had every right to be. She had no idea what he was talking about. Link grabbed her arm and ran down the slope quickly.


	7. Chapter 7: Battle in the Temple of Time

The Battle For Hyrule:

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 7: Battle in the Temple of Time

Link dashed as fast as he could back down the trail. Link saw an extremely large cave that echoed fear, and spilled out hate. He told the Gerudo to look for an egg and destroy it. She just nodded and leapt away. Link ran to a door on his left and opened it. It opened at his touch as though pulled by magic, which it probably was. A thin grate of metal was all that protected Link from a hot, deadly bed of ever-burning lava. He ran across with high speed as the flames leapt up to burn him as soon as his foot touched the metal. With his grace and speed, Link leapt hard at the last door, as it too opened upon his fragile touch.

A roar joined with a blast of fire greeted him. He pulled out his shield and blocked the blast. Thinking fast Link rolled to his left and pulled out his bow. The hard blackened lava hurt his back, but he ignored the pain. Link put an arrow to the string and pulled back. He just needed it to open it's mouth again. He began grabbing his magic power and forced it to assume the form of ice and his arrow started to glow.

Link looked the beast in the eye. It was black, about ten feet long and had far too many elongated spikes along his back.

The dragon baby opened it's mouth and Link released the string. The arrow flew forward and glowed with a wonder and beauty of it's own, as it flew brilliantly into it's mouth. The baby gave a shuddering gasp. Running as fast as he could pulled out his sword and stabbed the monster. It pierced the beast's outer shell and severed the muscle. Meanwhile, the Gerudo woman had jumped on the dragon's back, and plunged her dagger deep into it's back. The monster let out an ear splitting roar. Link drew back his hammer and threw it.

The hammer struck the dragon's neck. The overwhelming force and weight must've hit and just about closed the windpipe. The dragon let out a very winded shriek and dived into the lava pile.

"Not _this_ time." Link muttered.

He grabbed a bomb lit it and threw the bomb as high as he could. He hit his target with deadly accuracy. One rock exploded causing thousands of others to fall right on top of the lava. They piled up high upon the deadly uncooled lava. Link smirked happily. Victory was set.

"He'll never get out and slowly burn up," Link explained. "Not even dragons can withstand the heat of lava forever."

The woman just nodded as if Link had done the most reasonable thing. Link shook himself mentally. There was only one more race that could help them now, at least while the Gorans were out of commotion, the Zoras. The Zoras were people, well fish-like people, that knew a lot of recent events. He told the Gerudo to fallow him. Then he returned to the cave and waited for the others report.

_The Gorans were attacked because of me,_ Link thought.

This did seem logical; almost everyone knew Link had a good relationship with the Gorans. As soon as the group had gathered Link asked for their report, but none had seen a thing.

He explained the situation the said, "Gather the others and head to Zora's Domain."

Holding out a map he said in a low voice, "It's right... here!"

Link explained exactly what to do to Xilic who nodded then left. Xilic could take care of the others. He needed to find Zelda, now. He gave a sharp call to Snowfire who came fast to Link's side. Link hopped on her back in deep thought. If Zelda, Terra, and the others were dead too, Link wouldn't know what to do.

Link rode into Hyrule market with power and ability following him. After dismounting Link asked if a group of riders had been seen. A few men claimed, after a large bribe, that the riders had been to the Temple of Time. Link found no other leads within the area, so he ran up to the old temple. Nothing, no unturned stones, no graves, no tracks, no signs of battle, just ground. Link walked into the temple and kneeled on the floor confused.

Eventually he got up and walked to an old alter and pulled an odd object off of it. The Ocarina of Time. This instrument had helped Link countless times in all his adventures. He returned it to the alter and sat down.

A few hours later, Link was leaving the temple and stopped suddenly he saw a shadow. A man flashed out in front of Link clothed in black. The figure drew his sword and swung at Link's head. Link ducked the attack back-flipped, then drew his sword. Link stared into the eyes of the man facing him. They looked so lifeless. Link suddenly saw he knew this man. It was number seven from his old squad.

The black clothed man swung at Link vertically. Link rolled to his left. He was now facing the man's unprotected right hip. He struck at it but the man re-acted and blocked the attack with inhuman speed. This man was unusually good. Link had fought far too many people but he had never ever been this out classed even in his fight with Dark Link. He suddenly remembered an old trick he had once used on a boar one time. It would only work once, but hopefully it could give him the leverage he needed.

_Just give me a half-second with an opening. That's all I want_. Link thought as he flipped over the man's head and struck at the exposed back.

Again the man turned to block his attack but instead of meeting the blade Link rolled between the man's spread legs and slashed upwards as he went. Of course the man saw his mistake and turned it into a roll, but Link's sword still left a large gash on his leg. Link got up and laughed. The tricked had worked. Now the man would be slower and Link could overpower him after the man got slow and sluggish.

_Assuming I live that long,_ Link thought jumping over the man's swipe at his feet.

Link struck out at the man's un-damaged leg. The man side-stepped the trust and slashed down at Link's head. Link caught the blow on his shield then struck out at the damaged leg with his sword. The man jumped over it, or nearly so. The blade struck his heel. The man rolled backwards as he howled. All of a sudden the man ran towards Link swinging. Then, he flipped over Link's head, pushed off the wall behind Link and everything seemed to slow down. The man's mouth was opened in a soundless snarl. Then there was an unbearable pain in Link gut.

Blackness threatened to engulf him the last thing he heard was: "Master I succeeded. I found him but he met an... accident."

Link lay there, dying, for what felt like an eternity though it might have only been a few short moments. Dreams came to him though he did not sleep. He could feel that his eyes were open but he saw nothing. He thought he felt hands touching his wound but it wasn't real. He would lay and die there, the Gerudos would fight and die. Zelda and the others would be tortured to death if not already dead. All Link's effort was for nothing. No, that could not, would not happen.

Lifted by an unknown strength and resolve Link lift himself and struggled to see. Vision finally came to him. It wasn't too clear but it was good for the purpose of where he had to go. He took a few slow steps as pain erupted throughout his body. It felt as though his soul was bleeding, not his body. He gave a small cry and tried to stay up. He took a few more steps ignoring the pain. Looking for the way toward town he walked towards it, stumbling often.

_Another step... another one... another step._

It was all Link could think of. He placed a hand over the wound. He was losing blood, far too much blood. He wasn't going to make it. Link knew he had to keep going. He saw a potions' door and took a few more steps. Then, he kneeled calling in a rasp as it was all he could manage.

" Please help... me... please."

Gasping he saw two shapes appear over him. A sharp pain in the back of his head and the ground rushed up to meet him. He rose to find himself trapped in a cell weaponless. The next thing he realized was his pain was gone. He tried to move but his hands and legs were bound tight. As Link struggled to remove the bonds a figure approached him, but his vision was blurry so he couldn't make out any clear features.

"So _this_ is the great Hero of Time. You have been extremely hard to capture. That fool you met at the Temple of Time thought he killed you but I knew it was untrue and waited for you."

The woman's voice was not kind. It was like a seductive snake. Link knew by instinct that he could not trust her.

"If you think I'm a hero you're mistaken."

If was a bluff of course but it could work.

"Oh silly me," She said. "I must have grabbed the wrong green clad Hero of Time."

Or then again the bluff might fail. He tried to get his right leg free, no good. He couldn't get out. The human skeleton simply didn't allow it. Link wanted it hit himself, for that, of course, was his anwer.. The human skeleton didn't allow him to bend like that, or rather, it wouldn't let him, yet.

"Unless have more lies to tell me I must really be getting on but we will talk tomorrow about your rebel friends."

_She wants to get information about the riders. Well she isn't getting it out of me._

The woman turned and left, and Link turned his head towards his left arm. It was bound up against the wall. That fit perfectly into Link's plan. Link slammed his own forehead into his left wrist. He did it again. And again. And again. Until... _CRACK_. Link slumped over and his left hand fell out of the rope. Link had broken his own wrist to get out of the bind. His hand hurt terribly and he cried out as he un-tied the ropes.

Link stumbled to the door, feeling the hard rock scrape his knees, and smashed the lock off with his elbow. Now he need to find his weapons and find the way out of here. Clutching his wrist he walked on to the guard at the end of the corridor. Link slowly crept up behind the guard and reached for the long dagger in the guard's belt. As he grasped the handle the guard spun around and swung his long sword. Link parried the blow and stabbed at the guard, but the nimble man side-stepped the stab and flipped over the Link's head. Pushing off the wall behind Link the guard came at Link mouth open in a soundless snarl.

_It's the man from the Temple,_ Link realized.

This time Link jumped up and landed on the man's forehead for a split second. Then Link back flipped using the man's forehead as leverage, landed on his feet and stabbed at the at the man on the ground. The man rolled away and Link took a quick look at his enemy's feet, they were still injured. Well, so much the worse for him. Link paid for his lack of focus when the man grazed Link's upper arm. The man kicked Link down then stepped on Link's right arm. Link dropped the dagger in pain.

"This is the best Hyrule has to offer? Well I will make your ending swift that at least you deserve, sir."

Link saw the blade come down and reached for the dagger with his left hand. The blade whistled down faster and faster. Link threw up his left arm but instead of his sword meeting the man's blade Link's dagger went through the man's arm. Even through Link's pain in his left wrist he could hear the man's scream. Link hand felt like it was on fire. Link remembered hearing Zelda's guard talking about a broken leg, but he hadn't thought that it could hurt this much. This pain was beyond anything Link had ever experienced. Link had little time to lay still. He was grabbed by the neck.

As the hand around his neck got tighter Link heard, "If we both die then I will make sure that you are the one who dies first."

Link heard the sound of a switchblade. Then pain entered his shoulder. The man had stabbed him again.

"Let me take care of your other hand. The master wanted to question you but it looks as if she'll just have to deal with the fact that you're only good when dead."

He was dropped then, crudely on the ground. There was a grip on his lower arm that got forced down onto the man's knee. Then a loud _crack_. Link's other arm had been broken. His arm flopped down. He gave a small breath he knew a lesser man would have died.

_That must be it,_ Link thought as the man kicked him over. _I dead and don't know it._

No living man, clever or not, strong or not, young or not could live through this pain. Link stared up into the man's eyes as he was stabbed in the neck. Even though Link no longer had strength to move he saw that the eyes were no longer lifeless. They were full of rage and lust for murder and death.

"Maybe after your dead my master can take care of that girl. Zela or something. You know we caught her? We only needed you because she wouldn't give us anything."

Rage such as Link had never felt filled him. Epona's death, Mikio's murder, and now Zelda's pain. Link grabbed the man's arm and bashed his forehead against the man's knee. The man fell screaming in pain. Link got up and grabbed his fallen dagger. Link stabbed the man in the gut. The man sputtered and passed out, surely to die later. Link lay on the ground, applying herbs from the man's pouch to his wound, waiting and trying to keep from going into shock. Once he could move again, he got up and slipped and stumbled his way to the other cells, to Zelda.

"I will save you, I won't let my sister die!"


	8. Chapter 8: Betrayal and Brothers

The Battle For Hyrule:

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 8: Betrayal and Brothers

When Link saw Zelda she was in a bad state. She was bleeding across the temple and hip. He smashed off the lock with the dagger, which broke promptly and all the shards flew around the cave-like cell in a way of beauty. The effort had caused Link to scream in bloody pain as his arms protested from the effort of more work. Link stood there as Zelda looked up. A wide smile came to her face.

"Am I dreaming again? In my dreams you came to rescue me. Yes, this must be a dream. You're too injured to be real, or you would be dead."

Link walked to her and knelt next to her.

"This is real." Link said.

Struggling not to pass out, he grasped her hands. His grip was tender, as though she had broken arms, not him.

"This must be real. Then you're mortally hurt!" she said and placed her healing hands upon his multiple wounds, healing him with power he knew she'd saved up. "There are no others left they were killed. I will get you out of here."

So she did. Zelda brought him out of the building and called for Snowfire. Before the hour was out, the horse came and Link gratefully got on her back. Then Snowfire rode off, hard, as though knowing her master was in a life or death situation. Link questioned Zelda along the way though he could barely speak. Zelda told Link that only he and she were riders now. Sorrow filled Link when he fully grasped the consept. When they came to the cave where the Gerudos were they quickly picked Link up and started putting potions in his mouth, and Link quickly fell asleep.

When Link woke up his arms no longer hurt. He waved his arms, just to be sure. He felt as good as new. He got up and started pacing. The movements made him feel how still his body must've been.

Link had to find some new weapons or he couldn't help out at all. Then Link learned from the Gerudos and Zelda that he had been unconscious for more than a year. That meant he was now twenty-eight turning twenty-nine next week. Also, his weapons had been taken from him. However, there was some good news, the Master Sword alone had rejected captured reappeared within the temple of time. He needed a better sword. There was only one sword Link wanted in his grip. The Master Sword itself.

Link set out first thing in the morning for Hyrule town. Zelda Insisted that she be brought along because it wasn't good for Link to be in the Temple alone again. Link agreed then whistled for Snowfire. As she came trotting Link thought about what he would need to buy in town.

The main things were a shield and bow. Everything else he needed can be found in the fields. So, Link rode into town. Zelda clutched tightly to Link's shirt and fell asleep. Link could feel the minuet grip through his cloak. She apparently hadn't been riding long. Link had Snowfire stop at the gate looked in and swore so angrily that Zelda gave a start in her sleep. The town was not empty. It was piled full of Redead. He dismounted and walked in. The Redead approached him and tried to bite into his neck. Link was far too fast for them and ran into the Temple.

He walked up to the great sword and grasped the handle and pulled it out. As light spun from the stone like forest fire, images flashed through Link's head of their own accord and though Link remembered feeling thousands of feelings from the pictures, he now felt only one thing. Anger… All the time people were asking him what he wanted. He wanted only revenge… Revenge for Epona's Death… Revenge for Mikio's Murder… Revenge for Zelda's pain… Revenge for the riders… Revenge for all that he had endured.

Link spoke out and he called truth out in every hard word, "The Hero of Time is re-born with one passion. Revenge."

He walked out of the Temple and the Redead came again. This time, instead of running away, Link stood tall, all fear gone. A Redead slashed out at him. He raised the blade and cut off the arm. Then he spun on the ball of his foot and stabbed down into the beast's back. Blood spurted from the wound and Link sliced off another enemy head.

Link turned and blocked a blade from cutting him. He felt a Redead was going to attack him from behind. Before the attack landed, Link flipped over the Redead in front of him and stabbed behind him killing two Redead instantly. Link then jumped high and flipped then placed his sword under him. It landed in a Redead's head and Link pulled out the sword with a mighty strength, while the body crumpled under him.

Slicing through three Redead, Link kicked out a bomb behind him. It blew up a the majority of five. Link caught four of them heading toward the gate. He pulled out his bow and focused on the element fire. A flame leapt up on the tip of the arrow and Link released the string. The arrow hit the middle Redead and exploded killing the others in a whirl of angry flames.

Link normally would be afraid of all these Redead but now he enjoyed the physical challenge. He be-headed another foe and saw a figure holding a dagger. Zelda came through slashing off a Redead's leg and ran on using magic to kill three more. Apparently Zelda's experience after Gannon's castle had made her a powerful fighter.

Link brought his sword through another foe's gut. Then Link focused on fire, the power of Din, slammed his palm into the ground and caused a huge explosion of fire killing half of the remaining Redead. Link turned to face no less then fifteen armed Redead and six phantoms. Phantoms were not like anything Link had faced before. They set balls of flaming fire at him that he had to flip over and then face-plant them, and as if that wasn't hard enough, the Redead made it impossible to strike the phantoms.

However, Link's resolve was steeled and he was a strong hero, and twenty times the man of any other foe.

He parried blows from all directions backing up quickly. Link stabbed the lead phantom. At the same time he was burned and stabbed by many sword-points. Link cried out in pain and cut through a phantom and two Redead. Zelda struck down three of the Redead that were on Link. Link used Din's fire and ran out of the market with Zelda hot on his heels. He hopped on Snowfire and pulled Zelda up in front of him. Link twirled his hands in the rough rope and spoke to the steed.

"Ok Snowfire get us to the cave. Show us the meaning of haste."

The horse wheeled about quickly and ran along the hylian river. Link turned around in the saddle, confused. Snowfire ran off towards Zora's Domain.

Link looked at her and said angrily, "Snowfire the cave is back there!"

Snowfire acted like she couldn't hear him and continued on at her reckless pace. Dashing as fast as she could, she quickly ran out of bow range and jumped through the water barrier dividing the Zoras and the Hylians.

_At least I can find the Zoras now._

Though it was quickly apparent that there was no one alive in the domain. A few bodies were on the ground but not nearly enough to be the entire population of Zoras.

"They must be hidden on Lake Haliya somewhere," Zelda said.

Link told Snowfire to head to the lake but the horse didn't listen. Snowfire ran up the stairs and ran into the ice cavern. All of the living Zoras were there. They were crouched down, laying together in fear.

"Link."

He turned Snowfire around, and rode out of the cavern shouting, "There is a new enemy here! Flee Hyrule, now!"

Snowfire rode off to the old cave. It was still as forbidding and wrong as it had always been. However, death seemed to linger about it, yet it seemed to be even darker then the clouds above. Link got off her and walked in the cave and saw many dead bodies, and one... one that was the figure of a woman. This figure was laughing softly, kneeling upon the ground.

"This lot put up a good fight. They killed my best guards. This one..." she said pointing to a body, Xilic's. "Now he put up quite a fight. He alone killed almost half my guards, and gave me a slash across my back. But I gave him better than I got. He was a die-hard though, not mistake. It took nearly four arrows and a dagger to bring him down."

Link looked at his friend's body. Two arrows were still in his body. One in his left shoulder, and one in his left leg. The other two had merely skimmed his right side and right ear. The dagger had his him in the top of the head, which was bleeding freely. Xilic lay perfectly still upon the ground.

"I traveled with you to Death Mountain!" Link cried at the girl.

"It's good to see that a man of twenty-eight seems to be a real genius," she said, her voice full of sarcasm. "I tricked him, gave out his location, killed all his army, and he just knows I traveled to the stupid mountain with him." She mocked.

Link drew his sword and sliced at her head. She caught the blow on her dagger, which caused her arm to shake angrily. Link looked into her eyes and saw that same look as the black clothed man before Link killed him. Full of lust for murder. She tried to kick him, and he side-stepped the kick. Then Zelda moved and stabbed at the woman's hip. The woman back-flipped into the cave wall and shot Link in the shoulder of his left arm. Unstopped, Link plucked out the arrow and shot at her and missed by an inch. The woman shot another arrow at him then threw a spear dripping poison from the head.

The arrow missed but the spear hit Link in the left hip. It skimmed it's way along Link's hipbone, drawing blood. Link gritted his teeth and ran on at the traitor. Link raised his sword, ready to strike, as Zelda was firing magic at the Gerudo woman. As Link swung down the woman side-stepped it and shot him in his right hip. Link gritted his teeth and removed the arrow.

One of the bodies was moving. Link spun around instantly and saw it was Xilic, not quite so dead.

Xilic ran forward, pulling his sword out and calling, "Commander, jump."

Link did but as he was in the air, a dagger and an arrow came flying at his back. He very narrowly managed to dodge the arrow and knock the dagger astray. Xilic resumed Link's battle with the woman. Zelda came and shot at her but missed. Link looked at and healed his side while talking to her.

"Zelda... get to the Zoras… We can handle this. T-they need you."

Zelda nodded and gave Link a swift kiss upon the cheek.

"Good luck, brother."

Then she ran off. Link rose and blocked a swipe that the woman swung at Xilic. Xilic sank to his knees to rest. Link spun to his left and stabbed her right hand, but the hit wasn't bad and she gave him a cut down his neck. Xilic shot her in the shoulder as she stuck the dagger in Link's arm. Link slashed down and cut off a few of her toes. Link and Xilic were drawing upon resolve and training not to go into shock as the girl screamed in pain.

Xilic was forced to hold her off as Link fell down. The woman threw a massive bomb down, and it caused a large rock pile to tumble down. The explosion caused Link to go deaf and blind for a little bit. He struggled to see and finally his senses returned to him. Link began shifting aside rocks, as he could. He heard fighting from the other side that meant Xilic was still alive. Link moved more rock around he now saw Xilic. Moving rock around quickly Link saw it all. Xilic was spinning his sword fast to block all of the blows coming at him.

But Link saw it in Xilic's eyes. He was tired and in pain. Xilic looked at Link who had just forced his way through a small hole.

"For you."

Then he jumped onto the Gerudo woman and said, "Do it now! I can't hold her long."

Link be-headed the woman with his blade, as she stabbed Xilic in the gut with a long knife she had hidden in her sleep. Xilic sank down and closed his eyes.

As Link ran to Xilic, he spoke.

"I would… follow you to the e-end of the earth vow or no… vow. My commander, m-my friend… my king. I name… you my brother t-through… spirit if you accept my b-blessing."

Link kneeled and said, "I would be honored to receive it."

"Then do… and I w-will be w-with… you always," said Xilic placing his hand over Link's chest. "Goodbye my… brother I w-will be with you t-through spirit… always."

"No, I'll not leave you here… I am going to heal you."

"I am a-already in… your debt o-overtime, brother."

"No now I owe you my life and I will not let a friend, a brother die."

Link placed his hand over Xilic's chest and started healing Xilic's wounds with every once of strength he had within him. However, before the night faded away, Xilic stopped breathing, and his blood slowed. Heavy tears fell from Link's eyes as he gave a long howling cry of pain.


	9. Chapter 9: The Time to Attack

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 9: The Time for the Attack

Zelda appeared soon and told Link that the Zoras were dead, or long gone. Any and all of them that would have fought were unreachable. Link shortly gave a telling of the battle and she wept. Link lay Xilic's body down by his pack and put it on a table in the deeper parts of the gave.

_Gorons, Zoras, and Greudos are gone. Who is left to help us? What about the people? Malon, and all the others are at Lon-Lon Ranch._

"Zelda we must head to Lon-Lon Ranch to find the townspeople."

Zelda nodded and mounted Snowfire behind Link. Link nudged Snowfire onward towards the ranch. He could feel his knees smoothly pressing into the muscle and tissue of the animal's side. Link lightly rubbed the horse's neck and then began scanning the distant hilltops for the ranch.

It didn't come into view for half of that day, but when it did Snowfire gladly jumped forward and galloped into the ranch. Link thought it must've been the call of the other horses that cause her to be so exuberant.

"Link! Is that you?" Malon asked. "Where've you been?! I was worried sick! Gone for over a year! I only sometimes got a message from Xilic, but then even those stopped. Now you get back! You sure as the day and night themselves owe me some quality time, great hero."

"I'm glad to see you too Malon," said Link. " Nothing's wrong with me that won't be fixed. But things aren't as good as they could be. The empire--"

"Is about to have a very bad day. We were waiting for this for a _long _time."

Malon gave a sharp whistle and soon many people ran out, although few looked like they had the skill to be a warrior, all looked like they had seen battle. Many were cut across the face. One had a makeshift splint on his arm. All of them, even those that were just entering manhood, were carrying swords. Malon gave another sharp whistle and all the ranches horses came galloping out.

"Everyone do whatever Link or Zelda tells you got it?"

Everyone nodded.

"Mount up!" Link called.

_This will be a day that our villain won't forget indeed, _Link thought as they all rode to the castle.

The castle was much closer to the ranch then the cave was and as they reached the great stone walls, the sun was starting to set over the distant mountains.

"REDEAD!" cried Zelda.

Link drew the Master Sword. It's pale white light shown in the darkening sky. The people copied him. Redead drew their swords, and slowly move forward. Holding his sword point-first to the Redead, Link charged. The _army_ followed suit. A clap of thunder struck from the heavens. Rain poured down drenching them all. Link could feel the ran chilling him through his cloak and tunic.

The Master Sword went through a Redead's body and struck another in the face. He quickly retracted his weapon as Snowfire stood on her hind legs kicking two of the creatures in the face. Slashing to his left he beheaded three of the Redead. Another leapt and tried to bite him, gaping mouth ready to rip into his flesh, but the Master Sword cut the vile creation in half.

Battle raged on unstoppably. Link rode through the battlefield killing Redead as he went. He caught a glimpse of Zelda with blood dripping from her hands that was not her own. She raised her palm and gave a spell. Five Redead exploded in a whirling flame of light and darkness.

Link paid for his lack of attention when a Redead grabbed his neck and dragged him off Snowfire and the horse dashed out of the area. Using his grace and battle gift, Link spun the sword around his hand and stabbed the Redead holding him. As blood poured from the wound the Master Sword had left, Link ran towards a elderly man who was trapped by no less then ten of the monsters. Link beheaded one of them slashed another across the back and cut a third in half. Blood was everywhere, some of it his, some of it the Redeads'. Link ran out of the circle of battle and hopped on Snowfire.

The horse whinnied happily and galloped up and down the lines as Link cried in a loud proud voice for all men to hear.

"Now men! Now for Hyrule! For freedom, for your right of life. Fight! Fight and kill the monsters that stole their lands from you. These pity-less fiends would burn you to death and cover your ashes in horse dung. Use what you've learned. You shalln't hold back, for I assure you none of them are! We fight now for Hyrule, for what it stood upon, and for the freedom it offered. This is no treason what we have done today. We have fought for Hyrule. The Battle of Hyrule is the name of this fight now make it so."

He finished his speech with a long flourish of the blade and cantering back into the battle. The army gave no reply but their attacks got more accurate and more deadly. A hooded and cloaked figure walked out of the castle gates. This newcomer raised his hand and a circle of fire exploded into life around the fighters. Link stirred Snowfire on and leapt over bits of breakout from the battle. Dismounting, Link stood with his sword raised high above his head. The man pulled out his sword from under the black folds of his cloak and his hood fell to reveal his face.

It was the man from the temple and the man from the prison. It was number seven of Link's old squad. The missing arm that Link had relieved the man of was now just a stump.

"Wow you are a die-hard," said the man.

"So are you, but you're only half as dangerous," Link retorted.

"It's expected that we both be hard to kill. I'm you," said the man in a snarl. "Or rather you as your destiny describes. Prophecy tells that you grew to rule Hyrule not betray it and cast down it's empire."

"Your wrong, your wrong! You lie!" Link yelled.

His voice was shaky and unsteady. Link angrily spun to the left and swung his sword at the man's head. The blow was blocked easily.

"You see, your hate let's you move without thinking. That was a blow to kill. However pitiful however stupid and weak, that was a killing blow."

Link made no reply, but retracted the Master Sword and stabbed at the man with invisible movement. The black blade barely managed to block it. Link brought the Master Sword back again and went into an invisible series of cuts and slashes driving the man back across a bridge. And in this battle that would likely take his life Link didn't think about his movements. He wasn't concentrating on the man. He was thinking about Zelda and Malon, and his need to protect Them from this man who refused to die. Link's instinct did the rest.

The battle itself was a meaningless thing for the man had already lost, he just wasn't aware of it yet. It didn't matter what power the man had or what tricks that he had. He was far too weak for this fight and was in over his head.

The man saw none of this though. All he saw was a hero swing a sword with a blinding speed of around three attacks a second. The man needed a new tactic, else Link would kill him. The man raised his hand and a red bolt of lighting shook the heavens and cakme flying down as quick as it could, struck Zelda. She was flung to the ground, and sent skidding across it, either dead or knocked out, nobody knew which. However, Link's attack speed didn't slow down as was expected of him. Instead, he sped it up to around five attacks a second.

The strangest part of it is that they were simple attacks that were meant for distraction. Each and every single strike could take the man's life with as a hot knife could go through butter. The black blade in the man's hand flashed to the left to block one blow, to his center to block another. Then as a third blow came, the man made a foolish stab at Link, and the attack missed by a mile. And then it clicked, everyone understood why Link no longer spoke, he was a machine of battle. Link was exactly what some people called him, a War God.

The man raised his blade to smash it into Link's skull. Link flipped over the man's head and pushed off of a wall that was behind him, blade pointed to run the man through.

"Do you think I learned nothing?" asked the man flipping over Link's attack.

"See how you fight now? Are we so different you and I?" the man asked.

Link didn't answer instead he spun in a circle bringing the Master Sword down over his head intending to kill. His moves weren't thought out, weren't planned. He was acting on cold, hard instinct, the natural power of revenge. His revenge was that of a love for all those who'd fallen fighting for him. His next blow was deflected and the Master Sword stuck in the bridge. Link tried to tug it out with all his power. He failed and turned quickly, punching the man in the jaw. The black blade fell to the ground. Link's hand grasped the deathly chilled handle.

He swung at the man with a new found strength. The man showed a thing he'd never felt before. Fear. Cold, hard fear. Link's strikes became faster and were quickly forced the man back into a corner. Link's free hand grasped the man's neck lifting him off the ground. His sweat seemed to sink into Link's fingertips as he begged the merciless man.

"No, don't please don't kill me! I had no choice!"

"Neither do I," Link said, but his voice wasn't his own.

It was the voice of a man in power and enjoying it. Link stabbed the man hard in the gut, twisted the blade slowly within the man's body, so the cutting edge faced upwards and let him fall as the blade cut through his flesh. Link suddenly withdrew the blade and grabbed the man's hair and rested the blade on the man's collar bone. Power seemed to flow through Link's very proud heroic veins. Never had such ruling and ability come to him. He felt… happy. He was more then able to kill this man who had been causing him pain.

"Who's weak now? I will rescue Hyrule and keep Zelda and the townspeople!" Link snarled at the man.

"Link stop!" Zelda's voice broke the air. "You can't destroy who you are to stop him."

"I see not why it matters," said Link. "According to him I'll become the evil ruler of Hyrule no matter what."

"Link please, you can choose who you want to be, and you wouldn't want to hurt people. Link you're the Hero of Time, a chosen Hero, chosen by the Goddesses. To free Hyrule, not to take it over. Choose because you are one of the few that actually can pick their destiny."

"Your right, Zelda. This isn't me. I allowed him to boil my blood, I apologize."

"Your anger shows that you are human." Zelda said.

Link looked back into the battle. They weren't losing the battle badly, they were losing really badly. Link threw the black blade into an approaching troll behind him. The Master Sword was his tool. Dropping the man, who was dying now, Link grabbed the handle of the sacred sword and pull with all his effort. The blade came free and Link ran back into the battle. The only difference was that he was now utterly unstoppable.


	10. Chapter 10: The Strength of a Hero

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 10: The Strength of a Hero

Link stabbed one Redead killing it instantly, retracted the blade and slashed another across the chest. Even armed with just his blade, Link was a impossibly dangerous enemy.

Suddenly a voice called out, "Down you vile thing! Back to the shadows from whence you came."

It was the voice of someone Link knew well. But it couldn't be... he had died. Link looked to his left towards the voice. Xilic stood there sword in hand.

Link ran to him, "Xilic it is you, but, how?"

Xilic smiled.

"Chance really. A red fairy managed to find me."

Link simply smiled too. His brother, the only man Link would not have been happier to have here, was back. The two stood in a back-to-back formation. A crowd of Redead and troll alike stood around them in a deadly wave. Link slammed one's head down and stabbed it in the back. Xilic shot a troll in the neck with a deadly accuracy. Then Xilic and Link hooked arms spun, and Link landed high upon the troll's back. He twirled the blade, and stabbed it in the back of the head.

Meanwhile, Xilic was fighting off two Redead at once. Grabbing one's sword, he thrust the evil blade into the second Redead and beheaded the first. The troll Link was on toppled to the ground, throwing him off and rolling towards Xilic. The dirt tasted like it had been burnt somehow.

Link leapt up and kicked a beast in the face, then stabbed it hard. He retracted the Master Sword, concentrated his power into his legs, and jumped. His leap carried to the middle of the group of enemies. Link focused and charged up his magic energy. Then he released a spin attack. Link flipped in the middle of a different part of this army, and released a ring of a fire that was so blazing hot, it burned anything that got near it.

Xilic was currently battling with a man who was battle with a long fire-red blade. Link ran forward but a wave of vile Re-deads stood between him and Xilic. Link ran forward slashing into two people, friends or foes, he neither knew nor cared. All that mattered was he save Xilic.

He ran forward and screamed, "Foul man! Have you a wish to meet the Gods' judgment?"

Waiting for no reply Link stabbed the man in the gut, grabbed the black blade again and beheaded the man. A pain surged thorough his left hand. Link ran forward, and saw that Xilic had been skimmed across the hip, but he'd be ok. Link looked at his hand. The pain had subsided, and Link ripped off his glove and saw with dismay that the Triforce signal that was given to the Hero of Time had disappeared.

Link grabbed Xilic and raised his forehead to his brother's.

"Xilic it is over they have lost their commander. I have won us the battle. I have saved Hyrule." Link said.

"Yes, but at what price brother? You are going to die because your task has been finished. I will die one day from causes from battle and my sprit will go to the warrior's hall of fame to rest forever, but you being never truly a man of a chosen destiny, it is not possible to tell where you will end up."

"Then I will fight until the Goddesses take me away from this land!" Link said.

Then he whistled for Snowfire and picked up Xilic. As Snowfire stopped Link hoisted his spirit brother on her back and climbed up afterwards. Snowfire rode away from the battle and Link made her stop. He lifted Xilic off and set him down in the cold dirt. It was certainty quickly turning into deep night. He hadn't the time to heal his wounds, and Xilic would heal fine. Link hopped onto Snowfire and rode into the fight. One monster fell to the Master Sword shortly followed by three more. Link jumped off his horse and sent her out of the battle while slashing through a troll's foot.

Link felt pain stab him again and looked down and saw that he had become slightly transparent. The power that was taking Link from this earth must be working double time. Link split a Redead in half and slashed through two archers. He could just barely see through the brown glove on his hand.

Then Link overheard a horseman talking to Zelda, "Do you really think we can win, your highness?"

"As long as we have Link, I don't think we can lose." Zelda responded.

The pain spreading through Link's semi-transparent body seemed to double. Link snarled and fought on, killing several more enemies. His will and determination was spurring him on, leaving him set on not losing this battle. The pain within his body steadily increased until Link had to double over from the sheer pain of it. Link dropped his sword and grabbed his head. He looked at his right hand and saw that it was barely noticeable. He was almost dead.

Grabbing his sword he killed two fiends. As the blood fell his thought about what he was fighting for. Link fought for Hyrule's freedom, and for Malon. To protect her, Link knew if he killed enough of the monsters that Malon would be safe. So, Link smashed one archers' face in before stabbing him. Pain shot through him again. Link tried to keep fighting but suddenly the Master Sword clattered to the ground. A light, brighter then the sun flashed, and Link was no longer upon the battlefield.

Lights flashed through his mind. Link had no idea what was going on. He opened his eyes and looked at his body. It was no longer transparent, but he was wearing white clothing, not his normal green tunic. He then realized he was lying down on the ground. Sitting up, Link also was missing the weight of the Master sword on his back. He stood and surveyed his surroundings. He was standing on a gigantic pillar in what he assumed was the sky, considering all the clouds were around him. More of these pillars stood next to each other, as though they were begging him to jump to the next one.

Link took a deep breath and jumped to the nearest pillar. To his surprise he managed the jump with ease, though it was no less then fifteen feet away. Link gasped a little.

"What new magic is this?" he whispered.

Link then caught sight of a man on one of the giant sticks of stone not far away. Link leapt from pillar to pillar until he was on the one next to the man. Crouching down, then springing, Link jumped to the man's pillar and saw that the man was lying on his side apparently sleeping. But something was wrong, the man's side didn't rise and fall as it does when one inhales and exhales. Link pulled him onto his back a glimpsed the man's face. It was covered in blood, and horribly disfigured as though someone had smashed it in with a hammer.

Then Link realized that the man hadn't been on another pillar but what looked like a crude battlefield. Swords and arrows lay strewn everywhere. This place seemed so odd and yet familiar. Of course, this was Hyrule field in front of the castle. Link hadn't recognized it with out the drawbridge. Link looked at the dead faces and saw that they were of the townspeople, Redead and other fiends. Among them lay the man Link had beheaded to save Xilic. Link looked over the edge of the mock field and saw the real battlefield. The fight was going well enough, well enough so that they were winning anyway.

Link spotted Xilic, Malon and Zelda in the mass of people.

"What do you mean to tell me?" he asked the gods. "Did I actually die? I suppose I must have."

Suddenly a voice broke through to him, "Link, you have been brought here by the three goddesses. You are needed here, for there is new and saddening things happening in the after world. You must pass your father's challenge."

Link didn't speak from fear and indignation. Angrily he looked around and a large whirlwind broke out creating a whirling vortex of power and magic. Link stood at the opening of the vortex with the winds picking up.

"Do you accept the task that has been laid before you?" asked the voice.

"Yes," Link spoke scared.

Link had never experienced fear like this. Even facing Gannondorf had not brought this fear. After all, how could you respond to being told you were going to have to save the after world, a place that is supposed to be the goal of life?

"Being given your life again is an honor that has never been given to anyone else. You will go to Hyrule until you pass your father's challenge, and not a moment longer."

Link took a deep breath and ran into the entrance of the hell facing him. The first thing he noticed was that everything was a different color. The effect however, wasn't that of a rainbow. It was as though he were looking at the world through a distortion glass as the sun set. Nothing was even remotely clear, and in the end everything just turned into a never ending blur of color.

Then Link noticed several things in very quick succession. First and foremost, he was falling down this tube like vortex. Secondly, his heart was pumping a lot faster then normal and his blood seemed to hurt. It suddenly jerked him and the pain grew at an unbelievable rate.His very being suddenly felt as though it were aflame. He yelled and screamed. How could he still be in such pain? Was he not dead? Should he no longer have the body to feel pain? Link cast the questions aside and continued trying to break the pain. It was no simple task and even Link didn't know how to do it, let alone if he had the energy left to do so.

The time began to meld together. Days seemed to become one with the night, and became the forsaken hours of twilight. After what felt like an eternity, Link stopped yelling. He was too tired. His remaining voice was dry and scratchy. Furthermore, it did him no good to yell and he knew it. Link instead focused and thought through the searing pain.

_This is all a test set up by my father. So what do I have to use? Gods! My heart feels as though it's bleeding from the inside out! How long has it been in here!? I can't tell because there is no day or night here! It's always the hour of twilight. Time means nothing here. Time… Time…_

Link stopped, and it clicked.

_Am I the Hero of Time or not?!_

Hold up his left hand, Link began to focus he magical ability. A small rip appeared in the never-ending vortex. Link grinned and used was remaining physical energy he had and dove through the extremely narrow rip within the vortex. For a little while, Link was falling through pure, dark blackness. The only real difference aside from color, and Link was grateful for it was that he was no longer in pain. Either his body had gone numb or the unexplained source of pain had decided to leave him alone for a while. Then through all the blackness came a shape.

It was a large entrance to an even larger cavern. Link looked at it and realized that the brown floating mass meant that he would have solid feet beneath his feet. It was extremely likely that falling from such a long height would seem to kill him. He also knew that he didn't care, for within this moment, he just wanted to stop the hell he was in. Using was magic power he still had, he forced himself unto the rock and ran into the entrance to the large cave.


	11. Chapter 11: Link's test

The Battle For Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 11: Link's test

Link stared around the big cavern. He didn't find any monsters within it, but instead he found several inscriptions along the wall and stone tile floor. They symbols were strange one that Link wasn't even remotely familiar with. He stared at them, trying to understand what they meant. Occasionally there was a picture lying along the scripture. One of these showed the Triforce. This one seemed to glow strangely to Link. He put his hand up next to it, upon the hard stonewall, hesitated, and touched it. A burst of light came along and carried Link off, just a he could've done with his magic.

Link landed, rather roughly, in the middle of a field.

_Hyrule field,_ he thought.

However something was wrong. Something was most deeply, drastically, wrong. The battle that was supposed to be raging on around him, was not taking place. There was no one, save one man. He was a blonde youth that looked to be around eighteen to nineteen, or somewhere around there. This man stood sword drawn, and tall, proud to be there. He was watching the gates, and waiting.

_For what? What is supposed to happen? _Link wondered.

A figure came out of the lowered drawbridge. The man suddenly gasped as a dagger stuck in his gut, then he died. In fright, Link examined the man's face as the dark red blood pooled around him. Link couldn't see or recognize the person's face, but the feeling that the black robed figure gave him was oddly familiar. The figure raised it's arms, holding a long blade, blue as the sky, and the cloak fell to the ground.

And, with a sudden pang Link found he did know the figure. It was one that he had seen many times, and was used to seeing after all the battle. However, now the expression that was upon the said person's face made Link want to be sick. It wasn't the treacherous Gerudo woman, it wasn't Gannondorf, it wasn't even the man who had no name from his old squad.

It was Xilic, but he didn't look like Link's memory of him. In Link's mind Xilic was a proud man who stood tall brave and righteous. He had been someone who was strong, and ready to battle against all odds for what he believed in. But now... now Xilic eyes glowed with a burning passion for what was unmistakably death, and he stood hunched over, as though he were an old man. Bags lay underneath the once proud eyes. They were in pain, and lustful, oh so lustful and unhappy. Instead of the normal dark brown he knew, the eyes were blood red.

Finally he spoke to Link, "You betrayed us. You left us all. You got sucked away from the battle all those years ago and left us to be taken over. You destroyed Hyrule my brother."

Link shivered at the oily despicable tone of his voice; then he looked around the land and saw that it was all burned down.

_The battle, they had lost? How did that happen? They were winning when I last checked._

"When you left, we put up our best fight. But then the Master showed up and we were helpless. You could've saved us… but you left. Then the Master took over. You betrayed us all my _bother._"

Xilic spat the last word, then his sword straight out in front of him, and pointed it at Link. Link knew what the upraise in magical ability meant and yelled out to his brother.

"Xilic stop! I don't want to fight you!" Link cried out.

Xilic smirked and raised his blade's handle to eye level.

"Pitiful, the _Chosen Hero _doesn't even want to fight back." Xilic said.

Link didn't know why, but he knew that Xilic fully intended to kill him. Xilic continued building up his power.

"Xilic please, I can help you!" Link called out.

"It's too late for that now. You're too late! You left! You never stayed to defend us before! You aren't looking at the young pitiful, commander of the sad group of the rebels. You are gazing upon the four star general of the Master's personal Hyrule assassins. I am ten times as powerful as before."

"Assassins for who?" Link asked.

"Your kind of filth, that threatens the perfect empire that Hyrule has now become!" Xilic answered.

With that Xilic swung his mighty blade. An energy beam, greener then the most beautiful grass sprang from it's tip, and came rushing at Link. Link rolled to his left to dodge the fatal blow. Xilic angrily returned the blade to his side, sticking it in the ground. Link eyed him carefully.

"Xilic don't make me do this!" Link pleaded.

Xilic raised his hand and a dark blast of energy flew towards Link. Link used Faeroe's wind to transport himself to a spot just behind Xilic. The angry youth wheeled around in a flash, a little shocked.

"That one's new... Looks like you were always holding out on us. Guess I slightly underestimated you. No matter I can still destroy you." Xilic said.

Link looked to his right and saw the Master Sword and it had an odd light around it. Link knew enough of magic to know it was a protective spell. It was probably an enhanced version of it's incantation, for no actual evil could ever wield the blade of evil's bane, as was common knowledge.

"Yeah that's your old blade," Xilic said bitterly. "The Master could never remove it after Zelda's spell, curse her. But I found her in the end. Gave that girl what she had coming to her."

Xilic smirked now, and his face was darker and almost hollow as Link examined it.

_Zelda is gone, and Xilic killed her, I have to get the sword back. _

Link ran towards the sword, but Xilic jumped in his way with an amazing speed and grace.

"Think I'll let you take it back? Think again."

Xilic lunged at Link, bringing the sky blue blade up and over his shoulder. Link used Faeroe's wind again. He landed right next to his old blade. He grasped the handle and pulled the sword up. It was so good and so familiar in his hand. He quickly turned to block Xilic's strike. Xilic struck again and again. Link blocked every strike, and moved back smoothly without any trouble.

"Xilic you need to wake up remember everything you did for justice!"

Xilic didn't respond, except to kick Link in the face. Link quickly ran backwards and away from Xilic's swinging attacks. Link knew that this anger of Xilic's couldn't be stopped by mere words. He used his magic abilities to unleash Din's fire and created a ring of flame around him to block his brother. Xilic chanted a quick spell and rain started pouring down exterminating Link's fire. Xilic's attacks started to become more aggressive. He had changed his stance and his fighting was much more brute strength as opposed to speed or improvisation.

"Xilic please, don't do this! Come back, I can help you!"

Link called trying to reach his friend with the words.

"It's too late now!" Xilic yelled back. "You should have helped me before, when we were brothers in the war! You failed us all. Your an enemy to Hyrule and must be killed."

"Perhaps I did fail you but I won't abandon you to your Master's side without trying to get back your freedom." Link said.

"That's not your decision to make." called Xilic.

"Xilic-"

"That name is no longer used _brother!" _Grehadel yelled in anguish. "My name is Grehadel! And I'm an assassin for the Master. His word is my law."

"Then you are lost," Link yelled.

Link took his fighting stance.

"The man who was Xilic is dead!"

Grehadel swung at Link horizontally, but Link back flipped over the assault.

"Fight you coward!" Grehadel yelled angrily.

Link used Faeroe's wind once more. He was a good thirty yards away from his opponent. He prepared himself. If it was necessary that Link kill his own brother to save Hyrule then he would do it. Grehadel turned and snarled. He held his blade vertically in front of himself.

"This is the end for you my new enemy!"

Link looked at him, tears spilling out from under his eyes.

"You don't mean that. You can not, do not mean it."

"I assure I can, and do."

"You were my brother."

"Please," said Xilic. "Let us not dwell in the past."

Link felt the rain hit his head, hair, and body. Then he looked over at Xilic. He knew he had but one choice, to kill him. However, to kill his friend, his brother no less, did that not make him far more monsterous then his foe? He shook his head and set the Master Sword in front of himself at an angle. He spoke, with no more tears or sorrow.

"Goodbye, my old friend."


	12. Chapter 12: Fate's Move

The Battle for Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 8: Fate's Move

"This is the end for you my new enemy!" Grehadel said. "I wish that this didn't have to happen."

"As do I Xilic, as do I." Link responded.

"I told you not to call me by that. I'm Grehadel!" yelled Link's new foe. "I'm the four star general of the Master's assassins!"

"Of course, sorry but I'm afraid I'll never get used to screaming that name." Link responded.

Grehadel swung at Link who blocked the blow, and could feel his arm stinging from the power of the attack. Link flipped over Grehadel and stabbed at the exposed flesh. The blue blade intercepted the attack. Link used to force behind Xilic's blow to skid backwards across the field. Grehadel tried to hit Link with a thrown dagger, but Link rolled out of the way and struck this blade out the air with his own. Grehadel pulled out a bow fitted with a poison arrow and shot at Link. Link swung his blade to knock the arrow astray and into the darkness that was night.

Grehadel ran at link swinging his blade in a confusing series of chops and swipes. Link barely managed to use Faeroe's wind to escape. He readied himself in a new style, the expert fencing style that was perfect for any one on one type of fight. Link was a master of all styles of the blade, but perfection of style couldn't replace unnatural help.

"You magic tricks can't keep you alive forever!" Grehadel called.

Link ran forward to strike him, but Grehadel moved out of the way and attacked in turn. Raising his blade faster then lightning, Link blocked the blow and back flipped far enough to give himself a slight second to recuperate. Grehadel was on him in the blink of an eye. Link strived with his opponent for higher ground for merely a few seconds, and his keen sight caught a figure that was walking through the gates.

_What now?_ Link thought angrily.

The new figure raised it arms and a ring of fire about a liege in diameter sprung up. Link tried to use Faeroe's wind to escape but he found that he couldn't work the spell anymore. The fire was a strange one, for even Xilic's rain didn't put it out. Grehadel took advantage of the distraction and kicked Link hard in the head. Link coughed and some blood fell out. He steadied himself, and then Link wiped his mouth. Link grabbed the fallen dagger, and ran at his opponent, stopping the attack of the blue blade and trying to stab Grehadel with the dagger.

However, Grehadel grabbed the dagger and flicked it out of Link's hand. Link bashed the blue blade with the Master Sword so hard that it escaped Grehadel's grasp, but Link's enemy didn't stand for that. He kicked the Master Sword clear out of Link's own hand, and Link felt as though his very life were torn away from his with the leather grip of his blade. As his past brother reached down to pull up his blade, Link tackled him. Grehadel the used a magic spell, and fire danced a dance of the stars upon his hands. He then grabbed Link's face.

Link could feel the very fires of hell attack and burn his face, scarred from battle. The pain nearly blinded him. For some reason, most of Link's world was blacking out, but Link caught a look at the figure that was now standing, arms crossed, looking rather amused. Then he spoke in a voice, as oily as darkness itself.

"The boy has spirit General Grehadel you must give him that."

Grehadel smiled grimly.

"He won't for long Master I assure you."

Link kicked Grehadel in the neck, which made him release Link's face. Grehadel picked up the fallen sword as Link ran for the Master Sword. As he grabbed the handle a pain entered his back, continued through his left lung, and ended at his chest. He looked down and saw Grehadel's blue blade extending from his bosom. Grehadel had stabbed him in the back and ran him through. Link turned to face this man and saw that he was grinning and laughing. Link touched the wound in strange astonishment. If this was dying, actually dying, shouldn't it hurt him a lot more?

"It's over Brother, You have lost _Commander._"

Grehadel gasped several times, tired from the battle.

"It's not over until either you, I, or both are gone and can't breathe anymore," Link responded and ran Grehadel through with his blade.

The figure at the gates started, but then seemed to reconsider something and resumed his previous position. Link could easily see Grehadel was still more then alive and still breathing to top everything off. He gritted his teeth and pushed the Master sword a hard with what power he had left, but the sword didn't budge. Grehadel grabbed the metal and pulled himself closer to Link, and laughed at him, pushing the blade in deeper in the process.

Link gathered what remaining strength he had and pulled the blue blade out of his own back, and cut Grehadel's left arm off, and now Link saw that Grehadel did bare a striking resemblance to the man without a name. Link made a decision he didn't know about until he acted upon. Link knew he had killed Xilic's likeness, and Grehadel would die as his predecessor had.

Link tried to stay up as he pulled a red potion out of his pack and started to drink it. However, before he had drank more then half, Grehadel grabbed the bottle and drank the healing medicine. Grehadel flung Link from him, causing Link to drop the red blade. The man who had been Link's brother came running as quickly and hard as he had at the beginning of the battle. Link backpedaled quickly, fighting off and blocking every strike. Suddenly, he used a split second opening to grab Grehadel's arm and behead him. It had been quick and sudden, and something no one had expected of the Hero of Time.

Staring at Xilic's blood on his hands, Link thought, _It may have been Grehadel's spirit I killed but it was Xilic's body._

Link didn't have long to morn his spirit brother. The man who was Grehadel's master was more then a little annoyed at having one of his best assassins assassinated.

The man drew a golden blade and tried to stab Link, but doing so required him to release his hold on Link's magical abilities. Link quickly transported himself to Koriki Forest with Faeroe's wind. Automatically, Link was forced to stop a blow to the head from a Redead blade. Link flipped over the thing and beheaded it. He then knocked two arrows that were heading for him astray. Link looked to his right and saw what had been several Koriki children but were now several bodies laying in pools of their own, dark, red, deep, hurting blood.

A pain stabbed at Link's heart, all those children from his past were destroyed. The Koriki were a peaceful bunch, and didn't like to fight. He had a feeling that they'd been killed in their sleep. Knowing that it wouldn't have mattered either way didn't change the fact that it felt good to blame the beasts. Link didn't have long to brew. He soon was forced to flee from a legion of Redead both sword wielders and archers.

Link went to Zora's domain and Death mountain. All over Hyrule, it was the same. Everyone was slaughtered. Natives, visitors, guests, foes were all covered from head to foot in dark, red, deep, hurting blood. To make it all even better, the homes were burned to the ground, and the town was covered with enemies. Not all were Redead though, several were human, and Link figured they were the assassins that "Grehadel" had lead.

Every place he'd been forced to flee to made him leave instantly before he suffered and paid for the information with his untimely death. Link did manage to steal a red fairy from one of the men, and used it to heal himself. He thought long but eventually came to one steady conclusion .

_Xilic had said that they were all controlled by a sort of spell that the Master placed on them. So, if I destroy him then everyone will be free... hopefully._

He knew he would have to act, but not just yet. He also knew something else. For there to be no one left from the riders, Malon must've… No, he mustn't be aloud to think it. He couldn't accept it. If he did accept it, if he allowed it to even become a thought, then he had no reason to live anymore, let alone fight. He shook himself.

"You're being stupid. She isn't dead… She can't be dead! She isn't, can't be, wouldn't be dead! Right! She's just… just… just being held… prisoner… That has to be it… because… if she's dead, then there really isn't any justice in the world! Right! The goddesses wouldn't let it happen!"

So, as soon as the sun rose, Link ran towards the gates of Hyrule castle to see that the gates were open. Link wasn't stupid, and knew that an ambush could be waiting. So, he drew his sword and stuck it into the wall, pulled himself up with it, stuck into a higher position, and pulled himself up until he could grab the castle wall top. He pulled himself onto the roof and sheathed the Master Sword.

He took one moment to prepare himself, then Link ran forward hopping from roof to roof until he saw the castle that Zelda was supposed to have run one day. Now, it was all black and dark lightning came from the heavens to strike the ground in angry paths. Several of them struck together to form a circle and several beings came from it. Redead and trolls, dragons and demons flew into the castle. It was a spell, a true one. It was not like Din's fire, but a summoning of the dead or undead from other worlds. The very sight could make one want to die quick and painlessly.

Link ran into the door of the castle and saw that it was guarded by hundreds upon hundreds of enemies. Link drew his sword, and prepared, knowing that he couldn't win but that he would die with the satisfaction that he had tried. However, suddenly the Redead and trolls, and demons and dragons, all stood with their backs to the wall and stood respectfully. A figure came walking down the long hallway which acted as a proceed to the throne. It was one that Link knew, Grehadel's Master, and the figure he had seen at the gates.

"Ah, The Hero of Time, I find it unique that you managed to live after you were swept away and even more surprised you came back. Tell me how was it done?"

Link didn't want to tell him but knew that it would be found out eventually, so he told him everything about the afterlife he'd had. After all, just telling this man the truth would be much less painful then having every drop of knowledge drained from him by magical means, and Link did want some energy left to kill this man. After all, every death he was suffering from could be traced back to this, "master".

"So you didn't do it? You used no magic to bring yourself back? I'm sorry to hear that, I thought that you'd managed to drag yourself back here epically."

The figure drew a sword that was golden as the sun with a black handle and a red crystal set into the palm of the handle. It was a weapon of elegence, and Link didn't yet know he would grow to hate that blade and everything about it.

"I have no more to say to you, Hero of Time meet your fate."


	13. Chapter 13: Link's Choice

The Battle For Hyrule:

The Battle for Hyrule:

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 9: Link's choice

Link prepared for the worst that could be delivered by this man. After all, this man seemed to radiate the very essence of power and magic. Even so, the man appeared to do nothing but stand there. Link didn't understand why the man would not attack. He could've had a thousand thoughts going on in his head: to frighten, size up or throw off his foe, or none of these.

Suddenly a cut, about two inches in width and five centimeters in depth, appeared on his off arm. Link stared it in shock. This was a spell he didn't know of, nor had he ever thought magic was capable of such feats. The man wasn't even forming signal or signs. Nor had he give a worded command.

"What devilry is this?" Link cried aloud.

"You are a fool; it is surprising you killed one of my best men. I am using no spell on you Hero, I don't need to. Even without the power to blast you, my speed could destroy you."

Another cut appeared in his right leg. It burn as though it were aflame.

_He's doing it. He's fast too fast to see even. I'm going to have to watch for his moves closely and try to see if he hesitates anywhere. It's… insane. He's using magic to boast his power, he must be, but the magical power that would require… It would be unhuman. Even I, being blessed by the Gods, can't master a move like that._

The Master moved again. This time, ready for it, Link saw the shift in the man's weight, but no more before a slash grew across his chest. It tore the tunic and covering underneath it. Link gasped and held his cry of pain inside. He wouldn't allow this man to see his pain. Then he prepared for the man to strike again.

Link swung as the man paused between blows again. However, the Master sword seemed to cut nothing but air and go straight through the man. Link righted himself as blows landed on his back. Then Link focused his magic and performed a spin attack, unleashing a temporary, small ring of blue fire from the tip of his blade. Link dug his heel into the ground to stop his rotation and saw, to his shock, that he had hit the master. The master was knocked clean off his feet.

Link didn't pause; he ran up and flipped to sword plant the man in the face. To Link's surprise, the attack missed by feet as the master moved to his old spot. Link back flipped as far as he could twice. Then he switched his blade to steadier grip. He watched the man for the shift in the weight again. The man only moved an inch but when he did Link swung as fast as he could and the blow landed on the man's upper arm, not, however without the prick of the golden blade in his shoulder. The man looked at the two marks Link had left upon his body with anger.

"It seems I underestimated you Hero of Time. However, you've never faced a wizard with my magic abilities before. Now you _will die_."

The man twitched his hand a Link's clothes caught fire and burned him. The red flames seemed to spread throughout his very veins. It boiled his blood red-hot and made his bitterly curse all heat, wanting nothing but the ice cold of death's embrace. Link threw off his tunic in a flash, and put the fire on his pants out. The man twitched his right hand again and lighting came down and struck at Link several times. With each strike, Link was sure his very lifeline wavered. The pain was beyond reason, beyond his will to live. Link didn't know how he was still alive, but he was.

The master moved an inch and suddenly his sword was at Link's neck. The opposing blade niked him in the shoulder before the man spoke again.

"Goodbye Hero!"

Link rolled to his right while the golden blade left a trail of blood on his neck. Link managed to pick his tunic up and throw it on the man's face. He could feel the flames begin to melt the leather gauntlets he always wore. He tossed them off before they could singe his skin. The tunic was dispatched of by the master, but it gave Link the time he so desperately needed. Link used the distraction to run, full sprint, out of the castle and used Faeroe's wind to go to the Hylian Rider cave. Link stared at the many swords in the ground and sat down weeping from failure and for the end.

A light started to glow around a Triforce symbol on a shield. Link didn't hesitate and placed his hand upon it. He felt the same swipe of wind and opened his eyes to find himself back in the room with strange symbols. Link looked around, what else did he have to do?

He walked around touching several interesting symbols, but nothing happened. He walked around the cavern again trying to see a way out. However, no matter how hard he looked around, nothing seemed to appear or become more apparent. Then he stopped and felt around for any magical energy.

He saw that a tile on the floor bore a strange tint. Link pressed his hand on it and nothing happened. He stood on it and nothing happened. Link tried to whistle at the tile, still nothing happened. He prayed at it and nothing happened. Link even tried smashing it and nothing happened. Now thoroughly annoyed with the tile he kicked it. To his surprise, it shifted a little bit. Link placed his hands in the grove in the floor that separated every tile, and pulled it up. He saw that it was a hole that he could fit into with an amount of difficulty.

He didn't start floating as normal, but he fell straight to the hard soil and saw that he was again on the battlefield that he had been on when he'd fought with Grehadel. Link tried to move forward to make his vision a little clearer but he couldn't. He tried to move his leg but it was stuck as though it were frozen. Link looked ahead and saw the battle as it had been just before he had left. He was not transparent anymore though. He saw the Master walk unto the field and saw several people fall. Zelda was trapped behind no less than fifty Redead and four trolls.

He looked over and saw Xilic, not yet Grehadel, kneeling in front of the Master, looking as though he was trying to escape a great pain. Link saw a battling version of himself run up and kill several of the Redead around Zelda and three of the trolls. Zelda broke through the lines and used magic to escape. Link then saw himself rise and run fast towards Xilic.

But then Link heard, "Rise Grehadel, do what you must!"

Link saw himself shouting something, however, Xilic turned around and stabbed the other Link. He felt the rush of wind again and flew back to the strange symbol room.

_If I'd saved Xilic, Zelda would've died, so I couldn't save both of them. That means when it comes down to it whom do I prefer to keep alive Xilic or Zelda?_ Link thought.

He wondered around the room for a little while and ran back to the entrance; he ran as fast as he could back towards Hyrule field. The sounds of hate, murder and death reached his keen ears.

It came into sight in about five minutes but Link wouldn't reach it for hours. He tried to use Faeroe's wind but his magic was far too low and if he ever would successfully warp it would practically kill him again. Link played a tune on his ocarina and was warped to the Temple of Time. It was farther then he would've liked, but it was close enough. He leapt across the drawbridge towards the battle that was almost the same as when he'd left it. He killed five Redead and was trying to reach Xilic quickly.

Xilic was on top of a troll and shooting down several Redead. Link leapt up on the troll too and told Xilic to be careful and that he needed to remember what he was fighting for. Link sword planted through a skull of a Redead. Then he went to find Zelda. He saw her in the mass of several foes. Link slashed through two of the trolls that were nearby and pain entered his hip he looked down and saw it bleeding. The red blood was so deep that one could've gotten quite lost in it.

Link was suddenly blasted far out towards the borders of the battle, and he saw the figure at the gate fighting with Xilic. Link started fighting his way towards his long time friend but then saw that Zelda was being attacked with far too many Redead. It was time to choose. Link looked over between Xilic and Zelda and dashed as hard as he could towards his friend. He saw Xilic kneel down in front of the Master and Link threw his blade so hard that the muscles in his entire right arm screamed in protest.

The blade entered the Master's chest point first. Link then sprinted faster then he'd ever done before in his life towards Zelda's location. He reached her and held up his hands pulling on his essence to use what power of magic protection he could still make and used it to shield himself and Zelda. The creatures were hammering on Link's last defense. Link could feel his magic draining his body as he tried to keep the shield up, but the pressure was too overwhelming for him to keep it up. Link's magic was fully depleted, as he fell to the ground.

The world slipped from him as he fell into the blackness. The last thing he saw was Zelda, getting beaten in by the club of a large troll.

Link awoke to the sound of a crackling fire and voices in the background. Xilic spoke to him in a slow, careful voice.

"We won… Link? It was incredible. As soon as their commander that _Master _fell and fled. The clans turned on each other and started fighting. Much wasn't hurt much, well at least she wasn't injured after you showed up. But not everything I have to say is good news. The Master still lives and even though he is wounded, he is a very big threat. And along with that the battle included far too many casualties. The worst of that is that…"

"Zelda is dead."

"Yes."

Link looked all around at the bodies laying around everywhere.

"Go find the Gorons and gear up for your final march."

"Why," asked Xilic. "What are you doing?"

"I can't command anymore. I'm not good. People die under my lead. I'm going to go into the master's halls, on my own, and slaughter the sorry excuse for a man. When I am done with that army, you'll have no more trouble saving Hyrule. You'll have to command the army though."

"But you'll die."

"That's small sacrifice at this point… If I do die, I'll have at least have tried to avenge Zelda."

Malon ran up and hugged him as hard as she could.

"Link," she sobbed into his shirt. "Don't go. Don't die on me. I love you, so much."

"Then you love a failure, and a fool."

Link kissed her lightly on the head and walked away. She fell to the ground in absolute despair. Link walked over to where his repaired armor and blade waited for him. He slipped on the chainlink armor and cap. Then he put on the chestplate, leg pieces, shoulder and metal arms. Then Link slowly dawned himself with a wonderful helm. To top it all off, Link put his shield on his arm and belted on his blade, ready for death. He whistled for Snowfire and climbed slowly upon her back. Even the animal seemed slightly upset. It was as though the horse knew this would be their last march. However, the hooves pounded on through the night. Link looked at the castle. The last fight of the Hero of Time.


	14. Chapter 14: Link, War God of Hyrule

The Battle For Hyrule

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 14: Link, War God of Hyrule

Within the stone castle walls, the master sat upon his high throne and began to heal his wound from Link's blade. It was indeed a might attack, and the master knew he was terribly weakened from it. It may have even been worth it if he'd been successful in turning the young townsman's mind. However, now the master had lost most of his forces and was weakened from battle.

"Damn you, hero of time," he said. "May death find you in the most swift and painful fashion!"

Meanwhile, the Hero of Time moved slowly, on his own, towards the castle. There was no army. There wasn't even a shield upon his back, nor was he upon his horse anymore. He had his clothes, his blade and magic. Other then that, the Hero was helpless, or as helpess as a hero ever was. As Link approached the bridge, two redead came out from either side of the opening to attack him.

Link grinned and spun on the sole of his boot. Pulling out his blade, he flung out his right arm in a straight angle so that it parted the redead heads from their bodies. Then Link continued through the main town. During the Master's rule, all the shops had gone to hell. Not a single shop even looked like it'd been entered from almost a decade. Many walls were half-torn down, but there was no time to worry about the lack of business. redead roamed everywhere, desperate for something to suck the life out of, and Link was a walking feast.

Four of them came at him, trying to paralyze him with fear. However, Link was a hero of courage, and fear wasn't a word in his vocabulary. He leapt to the left and rolled, dodging two slicing claws of the would-be rapists. Then he lounged forward and caught one beast in the chest with the blade. Then he ripped it out and kicked the creature down upon the ground. Two more leapt at him from the left, but he held up at hand and a moment later they burst into flames.

Another redead struck at his back and Link spun around quickly, slicing through the zombie-like creature. The blood splattered across him and Link heard thunder boom above him. Looking up his noticed that it had begun to rain. This light sprinkle quickly turned into a terrible tidal wave of power in the form of water. Then Link felt another attack actually hit him and the redead began sucking the life out of his chest. Link cut down with the Master Sword. Then he dodged to the left, cutting through another foe. He spun to the left and kicked another hard in the chest.

Then the ground rumbled angrily and Link tore his attention from the creatures to view this new threat. Then he saw something that almost made his heart stop. A giant, fire-breathing, three-headed dragon was waging its tail back and forth while looking right at him. It did not escape Link's attention that the tail had several spikes covering the back end. Then it shot fire at him.

Link's eyes went wide and Link rolled off to the left, cutting through four redead. Then he ran up to the great beast, dodging more blasts of fire. The beast then took to the sky and Link swore, leaping up onto crates and then to the rooftops. The beast swung its great tail at him and Link jumped so that the blow missed, and landed upon the great weapon. Then he stuck the Master Sword hard into the beast's tail. He let himself drop to the ground and the thunder boomed again and made his heart flutter.

Water sprayed against his face and plastered his hair flat against his forehead and eyelids. His hat and clothes were soaked and his chain-link shirt and pants seemed to be protesting too much movement. Then dragon sent one of its heads to try and swallow the green-clad hero. Link obliged by jumping right in and thrusting up with all his strength. His blade ripped through the roof of the monster's mouth. Blood poured from the thing's mouth and coated Link in a fresh layer of blood. The beast howled and spat fire, causing Link to leap out.

The flames cooked him and made the metal on his back burn him. He fell to the ground and landed badly on his left arm. The shoulder of his tunic tore and opened, and his head scraped the ground, drawing blood. It dripped into his eyes and he blinked several times trying to see properly. Arrows whistled through the air and Link deflected what he could, dodging what he couldn't. He rolled to the left and a redead leapt at him. Link trust out with the blade and caught it in the face. Then another arrow caught him in the side.

Another arrow came whizzing past him, and went through his hat, knocking it to the ground. Link grabbed the arrow and pulled it out, gritting his teeth. The arrow had gone through a part of his mail and pierced his side. Blood spilled out from the wound and Link slammed his blade in the ground to pull himself up on it. Before he could do anything else, a redead slammed into him hard across the ground. Link was sent skidding through the waves of foes right into the belly of the dragon. It looked down right at Link and growled.

"Not right now," muttered the blonde.

Not even moving his body, Link thrust his sword through the animal's gut and twisted before making the weapon dig its way back out, putting the monster out of action. Link did a backwards summersault and sprang up off his hands, unto his feet. Then Link leapt up into the air and slammed his fist into the ground, causing a high amount of fire to spring up all around him. Scores of piles of bodies fell to the ground, burnt to a crisp. Then Link walked slowly to where the redead had hit him and picked up the hat. He could feel the Master standing behind him.

Then he put on the hat.

"I like this hat."

The Master ran to Link and kicked out at him. Link could barely see him through the mass of blood from his forehead, but he caught the man's foot. The Master angrily caught himself on his hands then kicked Link in his chest. The boy stumbled back and then twirled the Master Sword in his hand before charging. The Master summoned his own saber to the field. The two blades crossed in mid-air and Link swung at the man with his free right hand. The Master moved quickly and caught Link's hand in his left before pulling hard on the arm.

Link leapt, and using his opponent's grip as leverage, he double kicked the man hard in the chest. This forced the Master to release Link and the hero back flipped to get more room. The Master sent a quick amount of fire at the blonde, which was deflected. Link angrily ran at the man, swing the blade in long, but quick circles. The Master ducked, then caught Link's blade upon his own. The two when into a violent strife, with neither getting sufficient leverage over the other for a long time.

They went back and forth for at least a full three minutes, which seemed far longer then it should've. Finally Link knew what would give him at least a bit of help, and he leapt away from the Master. He scooped up a bit of redead skin (The term "skin" here is for lack of a better term, save goop, but goop didn't sound very good.) and threw it hard at the Master's face. He was forced to dodge to the left, giving Link a half-second of an opening. He rolled into action as the Master dodged and before the older man knew what was happening, Link had cut him across the hip.

The Master yelled in pain and attempted to stab Link through the back, but the younger man was quick and the attack only hit his protected chest. However, the mail slipped and Link knew there would be some internal injury, and at least a vicious bruise. The man gritted his teeth and ran forward, determined to damage the Master. However, before he managed to do anything, he was forced to fall to the ground writhing in pain as his eyes flashed to white and he was thrown within the realms of his own mind.

_A murky white covered everything within sight. Link could see himself stand, grabbed him a plain, white noble's robe. He touched his forehead to find that his wounds were also non-existent. Then a figure dropped down in front of him, as through from the sky itself. It was Dark Link, or Raikia, clothed just as Link was, save that his robe was black._

"_Hero of Time," said Raikia. "You are here because you wish to defeat a powerful foe. Knowing that you might not be strong enough, I am here to try and relieve you of the unnecessary struggle that may only end within failure. I will lend you my strength, use it to destroy that man."_

"_No," said Link. "Not now, not ever."_

"_As you wish," said the shadow. "But if you should find yourself near death, call my name and I shall defeat the foe, nothing more, you have my word."_

Assuming that matter finished, Link left the shadow be and returned to the battle with the Master. It was at that point the Master was checking Link to see if he was dead. Just as Link returned to the world of the living the Master leapt back, narrowly avoiding Link's blow. Then Link straightened himself and readied the blade within his grasp. Then the Master ran forward and the two blades crossed again before breaking, but this time Link wasn't the faster of the two. The Master caught Link across the stomach, making blood and muscle spill out.

"Dammit!" Link hissed, holding his injury.

He accessed what bit of magic he could and healed himself enough to still fight. He ran forward again, but was blocked by new redead.

"Only a coward hides behind his men!"

"Only a fool throws himself upon the front lines," retorted the Master.

Link sliced through two men quickly and spun upon his heel, kicking another beast hard in the face. One tried to cut him down the spin and Link swung his foot around to hit it hard. It's face broke and splattered blood everywhere and all over Link's tonic, mail, face and hair. Reaching up calmly, he wipped it out of his eyes and flung it off into the darkness. The redead came at him again and Link moved fast. He cut down to his left, then over his shoulder to the right. Then, making his attack a dance, he moved with stronger blows.

He leapt and spun in mid-air and cut one's head over, then he did a backwards hand-spring and run three more through with his blade. Then he duck and rolled to his side on the ground and cut out four pairs of legs. Then he sprang up, and landed on a redead's shoulders before stabbing it through the top of the head. Another blow caught him in the upper-left arm and Link turned, cutting the one who had hit him in half.

Three more redead came at him and Link kicked one and landed low upon his knees. Then he stabbed the second in the chest and somersaulted forward to turn quickly and decapitate the last two foes. Finally, bleeding heavily and gasping from the energy his battle had taken, Link dug his blade in the ground and glared at the Master.

"Fine," muttered the older man. "Fine. You know what they say. When you do want something done right, do it yourself."

Link let himself fill with the energy of those he'd just killed and used what remained of his courage to stop his knees from shaking. He steadied himself and drew his sword up and pointed it at the Master.

"So come and get me!"


	15. Chapter 15: The End

The Battle For Hyrule

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 15: The End

Link got within a defensive stance as the Master fell upon him in a furry. The older man's sword was fast and powerful, but Link was courageous and strong. The two crossed in mid-air, then broke to skid across the ground, only to join together again. Lightning boomed across the sky and rain flew through his hair and into his wounds. Then the Master kicked Link so hard in the gut and he fell to the ground, wanting so desperately to not be able to get up. Link had faced pain before, but this magnitude of it would drive anyone mad.

He felt light tears come out of his eyes and he was so tired. His muscles throbbed angrily and his chain-mail armor felt heavy. He removed his tunic and threw off this chain shirt and then replaced his tunic. Straightening his hat, he ran forward and kicked the man hard. Surprised by Link's sudden move, even the Master couldn't dodge in time. The hero's foot hit him hard in the face. The impact of the attack sent the Master flat unto his back. However, even old the man was swift. He used the momentum to turn himself all the way over and landed on his feet.

"Alright you knave," said the Master. "Now I'm going to tear you apart."

Link raised the blade again, and steadied himself. The Master fell upon Link in a fury, and with every single attack that Link warded off, his arms stung and burned. Again, Link tried to find some flaw, some break in the man's form, but nothing was available for Link to use. That is not to say that the Master's form was flawless, far from it. In his own pain, the Master made several mistakes. However, Link was so tired, and so beaten that he was unable to even try and use the openings.

The Master Sword was growing so heavy in his hands. His very limbs felt like lead, and as he warded off yet another blow, the Master flicked his blade and the Master Sword was sent flying out of Link's hands. Link fell to his knees, gasping for energy. Blood was pouring from his forehead and limbs. He couldn't hear anything very clearly, and finally, finally he gave in.

_Alright Raikia, you have twenty minutes with this guy._

_**I knew you'd call on me eventually!**_

Link let himself fall into the darkness of power, and the blackness began to seep all over his clothes and wounds. Everything turned black and he walked over to the Master Sword and yanked it out of the ground. It too, turned into the evil, pure, jet-hard blackness consuming all of the hero.

"What new power is this, oh Hero of Time?" asked the Master.

"No," said the man. "I am the opposite of the Hero. I am his equal, his opposite, the negative to the positive. My name is Raikia. Prepare to die."

The shadow sprang forward and struck with a blow full of power. Meanwhile, within the shadow's head, Link sat seeing the battle as though it were a memory. He knew that he'd had no choice, that only Raikia still had the power or determination to destroy the Master, but still he couldn't be comfortable.

_This is wrong, _he thought. _This is all terribly, terribly wrong. Raikia is evil, and I'm submerging myself in that power._

As if Raikia's very mind was forced to try and put Link in doubt, another voice, smooth and slippery as a snake answered him.

**It's not like you're doing this for the power. You're just protecting those you love.**

_But if the power is evil is that really any better?_

**The world isn't drawn in black and white. There are shades and people do bad things with good effects and intent. That doesn't make them bad.**

_It's still not right._

Outside, Raikia was overpowering the Master and instead of being offensive, it was all the Master could do to defend himself. He kept backing up but was hurting with each blow; and with each blow, each heart-stopping attack, Link could feel the power, the strength flow through him.

_NO! This is wrong. I will stop it!_

Raikia was responding aloud.

"No! Stop! What are you doing?

_I'm taking control again! I've just figured out how to stop you, once and forever. We are one and the same. As long as I live you live, and as long as you live I live. We both must die!_

"You fool! What do you intend to do."

However, Raikia's voice faded away, and Link's own voice flowed from his body, strong and confident.

"Do? I intend to alter the fate of Hyrule!"

He ran forward, ignoring his pain. The Redead came at him and Link sliced through them. One jumped at his back and he spun cutting his head clean off. Two more appeared right in front of him and soon a crowd was in front of him. Link grinned. Then he slowed laughed.

"Game over."

He leapt up, stabbing the Master Sword into a Redead and flew forward in a fury right at the Master. Link latched onto him and saw a speck of red fly through the gates: Malon. Link flinched. He'd hoped she wouldn't see him die. However, there was no hope for it. Tightening his own grip on the Master, he plunged deep into his own supply of magic and contacted his blade. The spun angrily through the air, cutting any in it path. Then the Master saw what was about to happen, but it was too late. The blade entered his body point-first, and went all the way through both figures.

As they stood, seconds lengthened and their breathing grew labored. Blood spurted from their chests. Their eyes stopped seeing, and the Redead suddenly stopped moving even the little bit they usually did, along with the Master, and his heart. Then Link fell to the ground and Malon ran to him, holding him as close to her as she could. His whole body was shaking uncontrollably, and his breathing was far too harsh. She wept over him, but he did not respond. She pleaded him, begged him not to leave her. The Hero's unseeing eyes cast to the heavens.

Then, his body stopped moving, along with his heart. So it was that the Hero of Time died.

The End


End file.
